The South Florida Sun Sentinel’s 2024 NFL mock draft series continues with Miami Dolphins beat writer David Furones’ first-round selections. Trades were factored into this mock draft. The NFL draft is April 25-27 in Detroit. For columnist Chris Perkins’ picks released last week, click here.
1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Maybe there’s some hubbub over a possible switch in the coming weeks, but the consensus No. 1 selection is ultimately made.
Top needs: QB, Edge Rusher, WR
2) Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Some may say Drake Maye, but the Heisman winner goes second — and why would Washington trash one UNC quarterback (Sam Howell) for another?
Top needs: QB, OT, Edge
3) New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
So Maye ends up tied to the start of new Pats coach Jerod Mayo’s tenure.
Top needs: QB, OT, WR
4) Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
They get some trade offers, but the opportunity to draft the best prospect regardless of position is too good to pass up.
Top needs: WR, CB, Edge
5) Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Maybe they luck into Harrison if a QB-needy team trades up to 4, but Chargers snag a very good wideout for Justin Herbert after losing Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason.
Top needs: WR, OL, CB
6) New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Pass-happy league? Three quarterbacks and three receivers. Could be tempting to take J.J. McCarthy, but Daniel Jones gets one more shot with a new playmaker.
Top needs: WR, Interior OL, S
7) Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Quarterback Will Levis took some shots as a rookie, as evidenced against the Dolphins last December; now gets needed protection.
Top needs: OT, Edge, WR
8) Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
The Falcons field trade offers here but take the first defender of the draft — and South Florida gets on the board in 2024 with the St. Thomas Aquinas grad.
Top needs: Edge, CB, DT
9) Las Vegas Raiders (mock trade with Chicago Bears): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Vegas decides it needs to slide in front of Minnesota at 11 to snag McCarthy, and Chicago helps the Raiders do it at the expense of a division rival, while adding draft capital.
Top needs: OT, QB, DL
10) New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
This ends up being a home run pick for the Jets, adding maybe the draft’s most ready player as quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants to win now.
Top needs: TE, S, WR
11) Minnesota Vikings: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
They need a quarterback now, but with four gone, they don’t reach for Michael Penix or Bo Nix — not with another pick later in the first and not when defensive coordinator Brian Flores can take the first cornerback in the draft.
Top needs: QB, IOL, DL
12) Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
A bit of a reach, but after trying to trade down and without another pick until No. 76, coach Sean Payton sees some Drew Brees in Nix.
Top needs: QB, CB, DL
13) Chicago Bears (mock trade with Las Vegas Raiders): Jared Verse, Edge Rusher, Florida State
Also calculated in Bears’ trade down: No one’s taking the guy they would’ve picked at 8.
Top needs: Edge, WR, OT
14) New Orleans Saints: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
New Orleans needs a left tackle since Trevor Penning hasn’t worked as a Terron Armstead replacement.
Top needs: OT, WR, DL
15) Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
They consider giving quarterback Anthony Richardson another target, but have Mitchell higher on their board than Brian Thomas and fill need.
Top needs: CB, WR, TE
16) Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, T-G, Washington
Fautanu kicks inside to guard, stays in Seattle and plays under his same college offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb. It’s too perfect.
Top needs: IOL, DL, LB
17) Jacksonville Jaguars: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
“Sacksonville” is back as Jags pair top pass rusher with Josh Allen (not the Bills QB), who was signed to an extension Wednesday morning.
Top needs: DB, DL, Edge
18) Cincinnati Bengals: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
With quarterback Joe Burrow’s injury history, Cincinnati needs to protect him, and the Bengals do with a physical blocker.
Top needs: OT, DT, CB
19) Los Angeles Rams: Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
Aaron Donald just retired, so yeah, the Rams will try to pick it right back up immediately on the interior of the defensive line.
Top needs: DT, Edge, CB
20) Pittsburgh Steelers: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Massive right tackle opens door for 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones to become left tackle moving forward, although receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is considered here.
Top needs: OL, WR, CB
21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (mock trade with Miami Dolphins): Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
The Dolphins see a lot of draft targets still on the board and trade down five spots with their in-state friends in the NFC. The Bucs are motivated to move ahead of the Eagles, another team that needs to improve its secondary, and in the process, Miami adds a third-round pick since Tampa has two. The Dolphins no longer have the big gap in the 2024 draft from No. 55 in the second round to No. 157 in the fifth.
Top needs: CB, Edge, IOL
22) Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Philly still gets a cornerback, and the fastest one in the draft (4.28-second 40-yard dash).
Top needs: CB, IOL, WR
23) Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston): Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
This is why the Vikings didn’t fret the early quarterback run, knowing they still had a second first-rounder.
Top needs: QB, IOL, DL
24) Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
With veteran left tackle Tyron Smith now on the Jets, Guyton fills the void nicely.
Top needs: OL, RB, DT
25) Green Bay Packers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
David Bakhtiari is gone in Green Bay, and the Packers need protection for quarterback Jordan Love.
Top needs: OT, DT, LB
26) Miami Dolphins (mock trade with Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Graham Barton, G-T-C, Duke
After the trade down, Barton is right there for the taking. A versatile blocker whose athleticism bodes well for coach Mike McDaniel’s zone-blocking scheme, he could fill a void left from right guard Robert Hunt’s departure in free agency.
Top needs: OL, DL, Edge
27) Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
Cards need to address defense after going wide receiver early.
Top needs: Edge, CB, LB
28) Buffalo Bills: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
A fine receiving prospect falls right in the Bills’ lap after trading Stefon Diggs to Houston.
Top needs: WR, S, Edge
29) Detroit Lions: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
With Cam Sutton released, this makes sense, and coach Dan Campbell takes another Iowa defender after selecting lineback Jack Campbell last year.
Top needs: DB, Edge, WR
30) Baltimore Ravens: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C-G, Oregon
Played center last season, but Ravens need him at guard after losing two starters there.
Top needs: OL, Edge, WR
31) San Francisco 49ers: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
The writing’s on the wall for Brandon Aiyuk to leave after this year, so they get his replacement in the building.
Top needs: OL, CB, WR
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Keon Coleman, WR, FSU
The Chiefs keep giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes playmakers. Despite their Super Bowl win, they’re not forgetting how many drops they had in 2023.
Top needs: WR, OT, CB
More 2024 NFL draft coverage
Dolphins have added tight ends in free agency; do they still look for another in draft?
Dolphins NFL draft options: Tight ends
Dolphins could draft a high-quality O-lineman (Armstead’s successor?) in first two rounds
Dolphins NFL draft options: Offensive line
Dolphins NFL draft options: Running backs
