You've read the latest mock drafts from our ESPN gurus, and now it's time for our NFL Nation reporters to share their expertise as we close in on the opening pick of the 2024 NFL draft Thursday (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN App) in Detroit.
NFL Nation reporters played general manager for the teams they cover and executed a first-round mock on Tuesday night. By the end, there were four quarterbacks taken in the first five picks after the Minnesota Vikings shook things up to go get their guy with the fifth pick.
No surprise at No. 1, as the Chicago Bears took Caleb Williams, but things got interesting after that. You can watch the full mock draft here.
So without further ado, here are the picks:
Courtney Cronin's pick: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Drafting Williams with the No. 1 overall pick has felt like a foregone conclusion since Chicago traded quarterback Justin Fields to Pittsburgh last month. The Bears are the only NFL franchise to never have a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season and will rely on Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, to put an end to their decades-long QB futility. Williams joins a roster flush with Pro Bowl talent.
John Keim's pick: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Daniels creates chaos for defenses and not just with his legs. At the NFL's annual meetings last month, Commanders coach Dan Quinn praised Daniels' ability to process quickly in the pocket. Quinn also said he wanted someone who could connect on deep balls, and Daniels led all NCAA passers with 22 touchdowns and a 66.7% completion rate on throws of 20 air yards or more. Don't be surprised if J.J. McCarthy is in the mix, as well as Drake Maye, but Daniels' ability to create will be the difference.
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