2024 NFL draft: Latest buzz, prospect rumors, mini-mocks

We're inside two weeks from Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft. Draft boards are starting to firm up, team needs are becoming more clear and 257 prospects will hear their names called in Detroit over April 25-27. Along the way, intrigue around what every team is going to do on Day 1 is continuing to pick up.

We've heard a lot of buzz about early picks, standout players, potential trades and the quarterback market. So we asked NFL draft analysts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates to break down the latest intel from around the league.

Is Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy really in play at No. 2 overall? What should we expect on Day 2 trades? And which teams could use a true "best player available" approach in Round 1? We get into all that and then let Matt, Jordan and Field build perfect mini-mock drafts for three intriguing teams. Finally, our experts empty their scouting notebooks with what they're hearing, seeing and thinking.

Are you buying or selling J.J. McCarthy being in play at No. 2 overall?

Reid: Selling. I still think this decision for the Commanders is going to come down to LSU's Jayden Daniels vs. North Carolina's Drake Maye. McCarthy has created a ton of intrigue throughout the league during the pre-draft process, but the No. 2 overall pick is still seen as too high for such an inexperienced passer. He has less than half of the career pass attempts of Daniels and played in a run-heavy Michigan offense. So while McCarthy is still projected as a top-10 pick, I think No. 2 is just too high. The Vikings, Broncos or Raiders -- via trades up the board -- are viewed as more likely landing spots for him.

Miller: Buying. I remember the 2018 draft all too well, when every pundit expected Sam Darnold or Josh Allen to be selected No. 1 overall. Then 24 hours before the first round kicked off, news circulated that Baker Mayfield would be the pick. My point is teams do things differently than we all would and make surprise selections every single year. While McCarthy wouldn't be my pick -- he's my QB4 -- we don't know what Commanders owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn want at the position.

As Jordan pointed out, McCarthy is inexperienced compared to Daniels (who would be my pick), but I can't rule out the possibility that Washington has fallen in love with McCarthy following his pro day and its time spent with him individually. I'll say it's unlikely right now that it would be a quarterback other than Daniels at No. 2 overall, but history has proved that nothing should be ruled out.

Yates: Selling. While we have all been around long enough to never say never, my belief is that the second pick in the draft will be Daniels or Maye. McCarthy will not have to wait long to hear his name called and has had a very impressive spring after an excellent season leading Michigan to a national championship, but I do not believe he will wind up at No. 2.

Propose a Round 2 trade that could make sense.

Yates: The New York Giants trading up from No. 47 to No. 36 for either Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. or Oregon passer Bo Nix. The Giants have done their due diligence on the quarterbacks at the top of the draft class, acknowledging publicly the possibility of taking one early. But if they either don't have the draft capital to move up from No. 6 for one of the top guys or just opt to take a wide receiver at that spot instead, a second-round move up is logical. While the G-Men traded away their own second-round pick as part of the Brian Burns trade, they do own Seattle's second-rounder at No. 47. Pairing that selection with their own third-round pick at No. 70 (and maybe a late-rounder to sweeten the pot) could be enough to move all the way up to the Commanders' slot at No. 36 to get either Penix or Nix.

Reid: The Washington Commanders trading up from No. 36 into the end of Round 1 (or one of the first few picks of Round 2) to select either Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton, BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia or Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan. With five Day 2 picks -- including Nos. 36 and 40 -- the Commanders can build a package to get the best offensive tackle still on the board late on Day 1. This OT class is arguably the strongest position this year, but as many as seven or eight could come off the board in Round 1. Washington has a glaring hole at left tackle after releasing Charles Leno, so I could definitely see the Commanders getting aggressive to land one. That likely means giving up either No. 67 or No. 78 to get it done.

Miller: The Los Angeles Rams trading up from No. 52 to No. 37 to select Penix. Being aggressive is in the DNA of Rams general manager Les Snead, and with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford dealing with injuries the past few seasons and having recently turned 36 years old, the Rams should be thinking long-term about the QB position. Sending pick No. 52 and one of the team's two third-round selections would be enough to get very high in the second round. With 11 picks in the draft -- tied for most of any team -- the Rams have draft capital to spend if getting a quarterback with starting-level ability is a priority.

The Chargers' No. 37 selection is a prime target destination for the Rams, as is the Packers' No. 41 slot; it'd be important for the Rams to get ahead of potential quarterback teams like the Giants, who are currently set to pick at No. 47.

Name a team that could go "best player available" in Round 1.

Yates: Denver Broncos. While I will not rule out Denver as a quarterback landing spot, it could also certainly play the best player available card. Edge rusher is a need and would fit the board in terms of value, while the Broncos could also use another cornerback and go in the direction of Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell or Alabama's Terrion Arnold. Furthermore, they could pad the offensive line depth with any number of stellar prospects available in that range or even select a wide receiver like LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. or Texas' Adonai Mitchell. Plus, of course, Denver could take Georgia tight end Brock Bowers to immediately upgrade the passing game.

Miller: Indianapolis Colts. Sitting in the middle of the round at No. 15, the Colts have a strong young nucleus and few "must-have" needs on paper. They could certainly add a pass-catching option alongside Michael Pittman Jr. but have young wideouts Alec Pierce and Josh Downs on the roster. Tight end definitely makes sense, too, if Bowers is available. Cornerback is also possible, though there is intriguing talent already on the roster. And we can never rule out building in the trenches when GM Chris Ballard is making the call. As I've been doing mock drafts over the past few weeks, Indianapolis is consistently a "best player available" team for me.

Reid: Los Angeles Rams. For the first time since 2016, the Rams are projected to have a selection in Round 1. A busy free agency period saw them add veterans -- including guard Jonah Jackson, safety Kamren Curl and cornerback Tre'Davious White -- which allows them to now sit back and take the best player available at the draft. With the recent retirement of future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, defensive tackle is an ideal position for the team to fill. Getting help off the edge is another spot to watch, as UCLA's Laiatu Latu and Florida State's Jared Verse could both still be on the board at No. 19. Los Angeles arguably had the best draft class of any team last season, given the value it found outside Day 1, and there are many different routes that the team could take in 2024.

Mini-mocks of the week: Perfect drafts for three intriguing teams

Reid's ideal picks for the New England Patriots

3. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
34. Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
68. Javon Baker, WR, UCF
103. Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
137. Zak Zinter, G, Michigan
180. Fabien Lovett Sr., DT, Florida State
193. Tanner McLachlan, TE, Arizona
231. Javontae Jean-Baptiste, EDGE, Notre Dame

Take a QB or trade back? That's the major question to kick off the draft in New England, and I firmly believe the Pats should draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall. Yes, the offensive personnel is arguably the worst in the league, but nothing matters in a rebuild until you have the QB spot solidified. Beyond taking Maye -- my QB2 -- at No. 3, I'd like to see New England draft on the offensive side of the ball, doubling up along the offensive line and on the perimeter. Suamataia and Zinter could be plug-and-play starters, while Baker and Burton are two playmakers with the upside to be early contributors. Rounding out Day 3 with some developmental prospects would top off a strong draft.

Miller's ideal picks for the Arizona Cardinals

4. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
27. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
35. Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
66. Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE, Western Michigan
71. Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
90. Beaux Limmer, C, Arkansas
104. Javon Foster, OT, Missouri
138. Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Purdue
162. Trente Jones, G, Michigan
186. Dwight McGlothern, CB, Arkansas
226. Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State

I wanted to build the Cardinals with an elite playmaker instead of taking the trade-down scenario, and it turned out beautifully. Getting a generational talent at wide receiver boosts the impact and value of Kyler Murray, and we're still able to get a topflight cornerback at No. 27 (McKinstry) and a day one starter at defensive tackle at No. 35 (Newton). In the middle rounds, I wanted to attack the trenches (Kneeland and Limmer) while also adding speed at wideout; I got the latter in Washington at No. 71. Overall, this mini-mock hits the Cardinals' core needs while also building depth for the future with good late-round developmental prospects.

Yates' ideal picks for the Los Angeles Chargers

TRADE: LAC sends No. 5 to MIN for Nos. 11 and 23 and additional future picks
11. JC Latham, OT, Alabama
23. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
37. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
69. Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan
105. Jaylan Ford, LB, Texas
110. Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois
140. Ainias Smith, WR, Texas A&M
181. Jaden Crumedy, DT, Mississippi State
225. Michael Barrett, LB, Michigan
253. Michael Wiley, RB, Arizona

Let's start by addressing the trade incorporated into this projection, as my ideal mock includes L.A. adding draft capital via a trade down from No. 5. Such a move could land the Chargers an additional first-rounder this year and more future capital. From there, this scenario blends three things: tough football players, gap-plugging and a little bit of Michigan influence. I would of course envision coach Jim Harbaugh targeting former Wolverines over the course of the draft. Latham is a tone-setter, and Mitchell, McKinstry and Jenkins could all start from day one. Two of my favorite picks here are Reiman and Barrett, though; they each bring substantial physicality. Reiman has been a pre-draft riser following a strong spring.

---

Let's empty the notebooks with everything else we're hearing and seeing this week

Miller's notes:

• Former Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat was arrested for driving while intoxicated last weekend. The Outland Trophy-winning defensive tackle faces a Class B misdemeanor charge after Austin police were called to the site of a crash between a SUV and a sedan at 4:41 a.m. on Sunday morning. Sweat was the driver of the SUV and was released from jail after posting bond. Considered a Day 2 prospect by most evaluators, Sweat's stock is in jeopardy following the arrest. The period between the combine and draft is often a test for prospects, and Sweat's arrest this close to the draft limits the time he has to explain the incident to teams and assuage concerns. Because of that -- and concerns over his playing weight at 366 pounds -- most teams I've spoken to believe he's a Day 3 selection.

• If you're looking for a player who may surprise on Day 2 of the draft, Western Michigan pass-rusher Marshawn Kneeland is your guy. He had 36 pressures in 2023, and the 6-foot-3, 267-pounder is seen as a plug-and-play defensive end who has the ability to kick inside on passing downs. Teams I've talked to don't think Kneeland makes it out of the top 50 picks.

Reid's notes:

• Georgia prospects Bowers and Amarius Mims held their personal pro days for scouts on Wednesday. This was the first time evaluators were able to see Bowers since the season ended, as he didn't participate in any testing or on-field drills at the combine. Bowers reportedly went through a full route tree in front of over 15 teams, including multiple position coaches. Mims, meanwhile, participated only in positional drills. There isn't a harder prospect to grade in this class in my opinion. The Georgia offensive tackle had only eight career starts but showed immense talent in those games. Ability isn't the question with Mims; it's the durability. He is arguably the most talented OT of this year's group, but he just hasn't been able to stay healthy.

• Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton will work out for scouts on April 16. In January, Newton had surgery for a Jones fracture in his foot that he played through for most of last season. He came in at 6-foot-2 and 304 pounds at the combine, and there are still some scouts who believe he's the top interior defender in the class. All eyes will be on next Tuesday's workout, though he's expected to do only positional drills, per a source.

Yates' notes:

• It was no surprise at all to see Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean stand out at his personal pro day on Monday, though it was great to see him so close to his normal self just a handful of months removed from that significant leg injury that prevented him from taking part in the combine. What I find most fascinating about the draft for DeJean -- a first-round lock in my mind -- is what the team that drafts him has planned for him right away. DeJean's versatility is key. He was an excellent man-to-man cover corner, took snaps in the slot, played as an effective linebacker in some packages and was an incredible punt returner at Iowa. But some pro teams that I've spoken with have evaluated DeJean as a safety and feel confidently that he's the best player at that position in this draft. My own view: He's good enough to play so many spots that I'd be happy if the positional plan comes together on the fly based on how he develops during training camp.

• The word is out now on one of the most fascinating prospects I studied during this process: Giovanni Manu from the University of British Columbia. Manu participated in a pro day of fellow Canadian prospects at the end of March and had some jaw-dropping measurables. He came in at 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds with 34½-inch arms, and he jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical. Scouts had his 40-yard dash time at sub-5.1 seconds. Manu is a former basketball player and should be a developmental offensive tackle prospect at the next level. He might need a redshirt year in the NFL, but he has so much upside given his physical tools. I think he's locked in as a Day 3 pick who could go as high as the fifth round.