KANDY 2024 NFL Mock Draft 2 -

Last year, out of 32 first-round picks, we accurately predicted one pick. This was truly remarkable. We’re almost guaranteed to do better this year. Let the fun begin.

1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)

QB, Caleb Williams, USC

The Bears screwed the pooch, as a matter of speech. Justin Fields was their signal caller. Teams filled their quarterback vacancies through free agency. The trade market for Fields was thin. They moved Fields to the Steelers for a sixth-round pick after everyone had made their moves for a starter. Williams will be the pick but for Bears fans, it must feel less than fulfilling after the Fields fiasco.

2) Washington Commanders (trade prediction down to 3)

QB, Drake Maye, NC

Commanders swap positions with the Patriots, pick up a mid-round draft pick, and choose the Philip Rivers clone from North Carolina.

3) New England Patriots (trade prediction up to 2)

QB, Jayden Daniels, LSU

New Patriots head coach Mayo is enamored with Daniels and we predict they swap draft positions with the Commanders to take the signal caller to fit his scheme.

4) Arizona Cardinals

WR, Malik Nabers, LSU

Year in, year out the brain trust in Arizona delivers surprises at the NFL draft. This year we predict they will pass on WR Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State, and tab the big play wideout from LSU.

5) Los Angeles Chargers

LT, Joe Alt, Notre Dame

Protect the franchise. Rule 101 in the NFL. New head coach Harbaugh loves his beef and Alt brings a big upgrade to the Chargers offensive line.

6) New York Giants

QB, J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

If the Giants choose to stand pat at 6, GM Schoen drafts his new QB. Schoen decides Daniel Jones is not the long-term answer at QB for the Big Blue and passes up potential, future Hall of Famer Harrison Jr. of Ohio State.

7) Tennessee Titans

WR, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

The Titans sprint up to the podium to turn in their card with Harrison’s name on it. The consensus top wide receiver in the draft, due to circumstance beyond his control, falls to 7.

8) Atlanta Falcons

OLB, Dallas Turner, Alabama

With their QB in tow after signing that guy from Minnesota to a free agent contract, the Falcons turn to the defensive side of the ball and the first defensive player in this year’s draft is taken.

9) Chicago Bears

WR, Rome Odunze, Washington

Whoever lines up under center for the Bears this season, he needs weapons to catch the rock. Odunze is rated as one of the top three receivers in this year’s draft and will compliment newly acquired Keenan Allen of the Chargers.

10) New York Jets

TE, Brock Bowers, Georgia

The draft is deep with offensive line talent. The Jets have their pick of top tackles after Alt of Notre Dame. In mock draft 1.0, we had the Jets selecting an OT. However, GM Douglas addressed the offensive line via free agency. Therefore, TE Brock Bowers of Georgia is the obvious pick here.

11) Minnesota Vikings

EDGE, Jared Verse, Florida

The Vikings shock the draft pundits and stay put at 11. They take the second-best defensive player in the draft, Verse of Florida.

12) Denver Broncos

QB, Bo Nix, Oregon

Although the Broncos traded for former Jets QB Wilson, Nix is too good to pass up for Sean Payton, especially with the Raiders picking next.

13) Las Vegas Raiders

QB, Michael Penix Jr., Washington

The run on first-round QBs continues with the Raiders selecting Penix of Washington.

14) New Orleans Saints

WR, Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

Too perfect a fit. There may be other more important needs but keeping Thomas in the Bayou makes too much sense to us.

15) Indianapolis Colts

EDGE, Laiatu Latu, UCLA

There are draft pundits whom believe that Latu is the best pass rusher in the draft. At this point in the draft, it is often we see a run on cornerbacks. Latu does not fall lower than 15 in our draft.

16) Seattle Seahawks

CB, Terrion Arnold, Alabama

We said there would be a run on CBs and it starts with the Seahawks at 16. Arnold is a top 3 corner in this year’s draft. We project he is the first off the board.

17) Jacksonville Jaguars

OT, JC Latham, Alabama

Draft pundits all say the Jaguars go CB at 17. We say they fortify their offensive line to protect QB Trevor Lawrence and take the OT whom many rate as the second overall OT in the draft.

18) Cincinnati Bengals

OT, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State

The draft is deep in offensive tackles and the Bengals shore up the offensive trench. QB Joe Burrow receives more protection. Fashanu is an exceptional pass protector, but his run-game play needs to improve.

19) Los Angeles Rams

CB, Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

Stop the presses! The Rams have a first-round pick! Their first since 2016 when they took Jared Goff. The team has many short-term and long-term needs. Mitchell’s versality gives the Rams a matchup corner.

20) Pittsburgh Steelers

OT, Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

Mock draft after mock draft predicts the Steelers trade up a couple slots. With a draft so deep in offensive tackles and corners, the Steelers sit and wait for the best player on their board to fall to them. They picked up two quarterbacks in the offseason. They need to protect them. The best remaining offensive tackle on the board makes the most sense.

21) Miami Dolphins

WR, Adonai Mitchell, Texas

You are probably asking yourself where is the run on corners Kandy promised. Mitchell is too much of a talent to add that dynamic Miami offense to pass up. Perhaps, the run on cornerbacks start with the next pick.

22) Philadelphia Eagles

CB, Nate Wiggins, Clemson

How about that? The Eagles realize that defense wins championships. Wiggins will start immediately to add back-end strength to the stout Eagles front-end. They could go offensive line to replace the retired Jason Kelce.

23) Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston)

OT, Troy Fautanu, Washington

Quarterback! Quarterback! Quarterback! The Vikings fans scream! But, who? There is not a first-round grade on any of the QBs left. Fautanu is a top 10 pick in some mock drafts. We predict he slides to 23 and goes to whatever team has this pick.

24) Dallas Cowboys

WR, Xavier Worthy, Texas

We’re really not putting a lot of thought into this mock draft. If we see a name and a school match a team needs, we plug it in. That logic has us placing Worthy of Texas in Dallas.

25) Green Bay Packers

C, Graham Barton, Duke

We are getting deep into the draft. There are many players with first round grades who are going to fall into the second round of our mock draft. Barton is not one of those. He could conceivably go to the Eagles at 22 to replace Kelce but that is too predictable, even for us.

26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OT, Amarius Mims, Georgia

A bit of a project but he comes with a first-round grade. With a mobile QB in Baker Mayfield, the Bucs don’t need a perfect prospect to rotate in their offensive line.

27) Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)

CB, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

Alabama churns out professional prospects in the same way Kandy discovers new faces who become tomorrow’s stars. McKinstry will love it in the desert.

28) Buffalo Bills

CB, Cooper DeJean, Iowa

Wide-out may be the pick as well. We go with the corner out of Iowa, DeJean who can slide between corner and safety. A physical player who is a ballhawk who could help the defense put the ball into QB Josh Allen’s hands more often.

29) Detroit Lions

EDGE, Chop Robinson, Penn State

If Robinson falls this far in the draft, head coach Dan Campbell will not hesitate to make him a Lion. He could go as early as #19 to the Rams to replace the recently retired Aaron Donald. Like Donald, Robinson is said to have an explosive first step and he could slide to the interior of the line.

30) Baltimore Ravens

DT, Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

The best player remaining on their board? It could be the interior beast Newton of Illinois. With a deep defensive line already, the Ravens add to that team strength.

31) San Francisco 49ers

OT, Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

Guyton may be a top 20 pick and he may fall out of the first round. We sneak him into the first round with the next to last pick in round one. Guyton possesses good footwork and quickness which fits in nicely in the explosive 49er offense.

32) Kansas City Chiefs

DL, Darius Robinson, Missouri

What did we say earlier about matching a player, a school and a team? Yes, Kansas City is in Missouri. Andy Reid picks up a depth piece for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Robinson is an explosive playmaker.