2024 NFL Draft: 3 intriguing prospects for every team with a top-10 pick

• Could the Bears pass on Caleb Williams at No. 1? Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is the top non-quarterback on the board.

• The Commanders may have a few QB options to consider: LSU's Jayden Daniels, North Carolina's Drake Maye and even USC's Caleb Williams could be available at No. 2.

• Draft and trade for yourself: Try PFF's Mock Draft Simulator — trade picks and players and mock for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

A mock draft includes, obviously, only the chosen selections for each team; we tell you which team is picking which player and why. But you don’t always get to see the debates behind the scenes between other prospects who didn’t ultimately get chosen for a certain spot.

Here’s a look behind the curtain at three intriguing prospects for each team in selecting the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft.

1. CHICAGO BEARS

• Mock Draft Pick: QB Caleb Williams, USC
• Intriguing Picks: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU; QB Drake Maye, North Carolina; WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

If trading down was an option in this exercise, that would be the most intriguing path for the Bears at No. 1. But since we’re naming prospects, the first two are easy, as they are also quarterbacks.

Maye would be intriguing because it would mean that after years of writing Caleb Williams’ name down as a future top pick, the league would be indicating that Maye had the college success to overturn that. Daniels would be intriguing because it would mean his Heisman Trophy rise took him to the top of the class. And of course, Harrison would be intriguing because, well, he’s not a quarterback. But it would be Bears general manager Ryan Poles going with his top prospect in the class, regardless of position.

2. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

• Mock Draft Pick: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
• Intriguing Picks: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State; QB Caleb Williams, USC; QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

The Commanders being in the No. 2 spot brings plenty of natural intrigue on its own — a storied franchise with new ownership, a new-look front office and a new head coach searching for its franchise quarterback. Williams is my favorite pick of this bunch, as he is a hometown prospect from the D.C. area and would make for a fun homecoming story. But both Maye and Daniels would be intriguing, as well, depending on who the head coach is. Harrison at this spot would once again bring a ton of conversation after the fact, due to overcoming the position value of a quarterback.

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• Mock Draft Pick: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
• Intriguing Picks: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State; WR Malik Nabers, LSU; OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame

I went quarterbacks at Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in my mock draft, and I believe Daniels is an intriguing pick on his own. Does the league view Daniels to be this caliber of a prospect after his Heisman Trophy season? Harrison would be intriguing because former head coach Bill Belichick rarely prioritized receivers in the first round, so it may signal a shift in philosophy. Alt would be intriguing simply because it must mean the Patriots made a move for a quarterback in free agency.

4. ARIZONA CARDINALS

• Mock Draft Pick: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
• Intriguing Picks: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame; CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson; ED Dallas Turner, Alabama

If the draft ends up with quarterbacks at the first three picks — or, heck, even if it doesn’t — it feels as though Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Cardinals is a strong possibility. But what if it isn’t Harrison? Well, if he’s on the board and they want a receiver, I can’t see them passing on him, even for as good as Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze are.

The intriguing picks for Arizona would then come from the defensive side of the ball: either CB1 or EDGE1 — which they do need. Perhaps the Cardinals believe Turner or Wiggins is so far ahead of their peers, and that the wide receiver class is deep enough that they can get a good one with their second first-round pick at No. 21. Alt is intriguing, as well, because it would set the team up with two young, talented offensive tackles after their Paris Johnson Jr. selection last year.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

• Mock Draft Pick: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
• Intriguing Picks: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame; OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State; TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

I ended up going with wide receiver Malik Nabers for the Chargers in my mock draft because, well, it’s the most fun. Another intriguing route is for them to go offensive tackle, grabbing one of Fashanu or Alt to pair with left tackle Rashawn Slater. At that point, they would be two key pieces of the offensive line puzzle away from having one of the best front fives in the NFL to block for Justin Herbert. But the ultimate wild card here is tight end Brock Bowers, whose draft range likely begins around this pick.

6. NEW YORK GIANTS

• Mock Draft Pick: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
• Intriguing Picks: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU; WR Rome Odunze, Washington; WR Malik Nabers, LSU

The Giants' entire offseason is going to be intriguing, from the assistant coaching hires they make to their free-agent decisions through draft weekend. I ended up going with Alt as my mock draft pick for them since there wasn’t an ideal quarterback option left, but if Jayden Daniels is still on the board at No. 6, he would be both intriguing and hard to pass up. If it’s not a switch to a quarterback, I think wide receiver has to be the target. The Giants need a WR1, and Odunze or Nabers could be that player for whoever is playing quarterback.

7. TENNESSEE TITANS

• Mock Draft Pick: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
• Intriguing Picks: WR Malik Nabers, LSU; OT JC Latham, Alabama; CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

The Titans moving on from Mike Vrabel — one of the best coaches in the NFL — was not something I had on my early offseason bingo card, but here we are. There is going to be an obvious shift in team-building philosophy in Tennessee. General manager Ran Carthon will spearhead that philosophy, whomever he brings in as the next head coach.

Offensive line upgrades have to be the priority. Alabama’s JC Latham is intriguing because he could play tackle and guard at the next level, giving them some flexibility there. If the Titans make trench upgrades before the draft and look to the skill positions, Nabers would be a great complement to the receiver they already have as more of a speed player, and DeJean could also give them versatility at cornerback (where I think he should play) or safety if they need him there (the bigger need for Tennessee).

8. ATLANTA FALCONS

• Mock Draft Pick: QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
• Intriguing Picks: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU; WR Malik Nabers, LSU; ED Dallas Turner, Alabama

With Arthur Smith out in Atlanta, who they decide to hire will go a long way toward determining the plausibility of these intriguing options. I went with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in my mock draft. In the same vein, if Jayden Daniels is on the board, he could be an intriguing pick, given what he does as a dual-threat quarterback.

Nabers in the same offense with Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson would be a fireworks show every week. And the more boring, but still very smart, pick could be to acquire the young, talented edge rusher their defense has been missing in Dallas Turner. A defensive pick would set up a very interesting game plan for the Falcons' three Day 2 draft selections.

9. CHICAGO BEARS

• Mock Draft Pick: WR Rome Odunze
• Intriguing Picks: OT JC Latham, Alabama; ED Dallas Turner, Alabama; CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

If the Bears select a quarterback at No. 1, the world is their oyster with the No. 9 pick, assuming they trade Justin Fields for Day 2 capital. Wide receiver is my top choice with this pick, either Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers. However, the more intriguing selections would be on the offensive or defensive lines.

With talk of the Bears being happy with Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright as their tackles, they could draft Latham to play on the interior with Teven Jenkins while also having that flexibility for Latham to play tackle if either Jones or Wright regresses. On defense, Turner would provide a great one-two edge punch with Montez Sweat.

10. NEW YORK JETS

• Mock Draft Pick: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
• Intriguing Picks: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia; WR Rome Odunze, Washington; QB Bo Nix, Oregon

The most obvious pick for the Jets in the 2024 NFL Draft is an offensive tackle; their line just was not good enough this year, and they could be losing both Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown. But if the Jets were not to go offensive line — let’s say all the ones they want are already off the board — tight end Brock Bowers becomes an intriguing option.

Bowers would not only be an inline tight end option to help them in the blocking game, but he would also be an improvement in this passing game with his after-the-catch ability. If not Bowers, perhaps the Jets target another pass catcher for Rodgers to throw to, such as Odunze. The ultimate wild card for the Jets is quarterback. If Rodgers will be around for only one more year, they may want to invest a first-round pick into the position.