The 2024 NFL Draft gets rolling Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m. live from Detroit. As has been the custom in recent years, there are certain to be a handful of newly-former Georgia Bulldogs hearing their names called early in the proceedings.
How early? Well, answering that question is a big part of the fun of this event. Let’s round up the latest mock drafts from around the Internet, and see exactly how wrong we think they are.
To no one’s surprise Brock Bowers is a heavy favorite to be the first Classic City Canine to hear his name called. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has the Napa Nightmare going #14 in the first round to the New York Jets. Wilson notes, correctly I believe, that Bowers is pretty obviously one of the top ten players available regardless of position.
But he’s also correct that tight end is a position on which teams tend not to expend top ten picks. I think that’s silly, especially when you consider what truly elite tight ends (George Kittle, Travis Kelce, Lions rookie Sam LaPorta) can do to elevate an offense. I think there’s an outside chance that someone trades up to secure Bowers. It should also be noted that Wilson’s mock actually projects the Jets trading down to snag Big Bad Brock. Gang Green actually have the tenth pick. If they really want the best tight end prospect available they may just stay there and snag him.
Wilson has two other ‘Dawgs going in Thursday’s first round: Amarius Mims with the 30th pick to Baltimore and Ladd McConkey to the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs with the 32nd and final selection of the first round. Wilson notes that Mims’ measurables would put him a little higher, but that teams may be scared off by his injury issues. I’d be less concerned about this given that Mims’ injuries (a high ankle sprain in 2023 and a pulled hamstring at the NFL Combine) aren’t serious structural issues. If his physical didn’t turn up anything significant, I think he could actually go as high as pick #20 to the Steelers.
McConkey in Andy Reid’s offense sounds patently unfair. Combining arguably the league’s most inventive route architect with the draft’s best route runner is the stuff of dreams.
ESPN’s team of reporters from NFL Nation pooled their thoughts on a mock draft, and their Rich Cimini actually has the Jets staying put at #10 to take Bowers. Again, if a staff that’s really thought seriously about how they’d use him still sees #19 on the board, he’s going to be hard to pass up. In the same mock ESPN’s Jamison Hensley also has Amarius Mims going 30th to the Ravens, and projects him as an immediate starter at right tackle.
ESPN projects the Chiefs to use the final pick in the first round on former Bulldog receiver Adonai Mitchell rather than Madd Ladd. That’s a reasonable pick in my mind. Mitchell’s measurables are better, and he’s certainly a polished receiver who’d be an immediate downfield threat. Ultimately this one may come down to what style of receiver the Chiefs think they need to round out the position room. That’s pretty much unknowable from the outside, so we’ll just have to wait until late tomorrow night to see which way they go.
Over at Yahoo Sports longtime friend of the site Charles McDonald has the Denver Broncos taking Brock Bowers off the board at #12. Charles is a smart X’s and O’s analyst, and his reasoning for the pick would be the same as mine: if Sean Payton really considers the myriad ways he could move Bowers around and utilize him it’ll be tough to watch him go elsewhere, which he is almost certain to do within the first half of the first round of the draft.
McDonald has Amarius Mims going #22 to serial Bulldog acquirers the Philadelphia Eagles. 2024 will be the twelfth season for Eagles starting tackle Lane Johnson, and there’s plenty of reason to think he’ll soon hang up his cleats like friend and teammate Jason Kelce. Mims could play behind him for a year before battling for that starting spot. Charles also notes something a lot of draft analysts haven’t really talked about: the Cochran Crusher’s quick feet and huge frame would also allow him to slide inside to guard, versatility that makes him even more valuable than a pure right tackle prospect.
McDonald has Ladd McConkey going #28 to the Buffalo Bills, which is as high a projection as I’ve seen for Murray County’s finest. Charles admits this is perhaps a tad early for McConkey to come off the board, but sees him as a great fit for the Bills offense (and has AD Mitchell coming off the board already at #17 to the Jaguars). I agree it would be a mild surprise for Ladd to hear his name called this early. But only a mild one.
I’ll be back later today with some specific thoughts on specific Bulldog prospects and my own projections for where they end up. And of course tomorrow evening we’ll have a Draft open thread with running commentary and updates running through the weekend. It’s time to celebrate the hard work of a great group of Georgia Bulldogs paying off in a big way. Until later…
Go ‘Dawgs!!!