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2024 NFL Mock Draft: Five Utes Selected In ESPN's Latest Edition

NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller has five Utes selected by various teams in his latest seven round mock draft

Austin Eames

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The 2024 NFL Draft is less than one month away. With the event set to begin in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25th, mock draft speculation season is in full swing. 

By now, talented prospects from around the country have had a chance to showcase their skills in showcase games, the combine, and team pro days. While draft boards are in constant flux, day by day the picture becomes clearer as to which prospects might be a good fit on each team. 

In a recent seven-round mock draft from ESPN, NFL draft analyst Matt Miller has five Utah Utes selected, with the first joining an NFC North team in the third round. 

Jonah Elliss (DE)

Oct 14, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes defensive end Jonah Elliss (83) plays against
Oct 14, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes defensive end Jonah Elliss (83) plays against / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Utah star edge-rusher Jonah Elliss is the first Ute off the board in Miller’s mock, selected by the Chicago Bears with the No. 75 pick in the draft. Miller’s justification for the selection included this comment: 

“Adding Montez Sweat was huge for Chicago last season, but the team needs someone opposite him. Elliss is a little undersized at 6-2 and 248 pounds, but he had 12 sacks last season.” 

Lining up alongside the former first-round pick Sweat would be a great start to Elliss’ career. Additionally, Chicago would be an ideal destination for Elliss to make an immediate impact, as the team’s defensive line depth isn’t anything to write home about. To earn the starting spot alongside Sweat, Elliss would have to beat out DeMarcus Walker, a 29-year-old defensive end who came to Chicago in 2023 and gave the team 3.5 sacks in 17 games. While Elliss might still have an uphill battle to earn a starting spot, the situation in Chicago is favorable. 

The next Ute selected in the ESPN mock draft might come as somewhat of a surprise. 

Cole Bishop (S)

Nov 4, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes safety Cole Bishop (8) warms up before the game
Nov 4, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes safety Cole Bishop (8) warms up before the game / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Within Miller’s mock, at pick 102, the Seattle Seahawks selected safety Cole Bishop. The surprise with this pick is the extreme value the Seahawks get by snagging Bishop in the fourth round. 

Utah’s star safety has earned high praise during the pre-draft process for his athleticism and high football IQ. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy was among the most outspoken supporters of Bishop, noting his impressive man-cover skills, elite combine testing, and maturity in an applauding post on X. 

Getting Bishop in the fourth would be a massive steal for Washington. Insider reports indicate that due to his pre-draft performance, some view Bishop as a second or even late-first-round pick. 

Regardless, Bishop would be a fantastic fit in Washington, which has become a favorable landing spot due to new ownership and coaching. 

“He is one of my favorite sleeper prospects in the class and someone I wanted to get higher in this mock draft,” said Miller in a section on his favorite prospect-team fit in round four, “The 6-2, 206-pounder has experience playing inside and outside corner, safety, outside linebacker and even off-ball linebacker. The Seahawks could use him like Macdonald deployed Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore.” 

Sataoa Laumea (OG)

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea (78) against
Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea (78) against / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Moving on from the fourth round, Miller’s mock has another Ute selected in the fifth. With pick 164, the Detroit Lions bolster their offensive line, getting Sataoa Laumea to fill in at guard. 

Laumea was an immovable force on the line for Utah. A four-year starter for the Utes, the 6-4, 314-pounder played both guard and tackle during college. 

While Laumea started more games for the Utes at tackle, his bread and butter in the NFL will undoubtedly be at guard. Detroit would be a great landing spot for Laumea, as the Lions already have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. 

A spot on Detroit's roster would give Laumea a season or two to learn from some of the NFL’s best including Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker, and Graham Glasnow. This mentorship would serve well to Laumea’s development and help earn him the pedigree to become a multi-year starter in the NFL. 

Sione Vaki (S) & Keaton Bills (OG)

Nov 11, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah Utes running back Sione Vaki (28) and wide receiver
Nov 11, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah Utes running back Sione Vaki (28) and wide receiver / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The final two Utes selected in Miller’s mock draft have very similar fates, as both Sione Vaki (safety) and Keaton Bills (offensive guard) are selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the seventh round. 

Joining Jim Harbaugh’s squad in Los Angeles would be a great opportunity for Vaki and Bills. 

Concerning Vaki, the Chargers have variable depth at safety. With Alohi Gilman and Derwin James pinned as the team’s starters for 2024, the former Utes’ best way to make an immediate contribution would come via special teams. 

Bills would have a more direct path to a starting role on the Chargers’ roster. Former first-round pick Zion Johnson currently holds the starting left guard role but has yet to produce at a first-round level early in his career. The Los Angeles line also seems to be constantly dealing with injuries. While this fate is destructive to the team, it could give Bills a chance to earn starting reps during his first season. 

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Austin Eames
AUSTIN EAMES

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