2024 NFL Mock Draft: Huge Surprises at QB, WR in Latest 1st-Round Projection

Next year's class is loaded with top signal-callers and pass-catchers, but some big names are left waiting for Day 2 in this mock.

Luke Easterling | Oct 16, 2023

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Huge Surprises at QB, WR in Latest 1st-Round Projection /

The 2024 NFL Draft class is loaded with talented quarterback prospects, but how many of them will actually end up cracking the first round?

There are two locks at this point in USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye, both of whom are expected to come off the board in the top five. But there's a long list of intriguing prospects after them, any number of whom could end up warranting first-round consideration.

Which ones join Williams and Maye in the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports?

None.

That's right, after sending Williams to the Chicago Bears at No. 1 overall, and Maye to the Denver Broncos at No. 3 overall, not a single quarterback comes off the board in this first-round projection.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye / Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports

Most current mock drafts have at least a couple more passers cracking the first round, such as Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Texas' Quinn Ewers, Oregon's Bo Nix, Duke's Riley Leonard, Washington State's Cameron Ward, or Washington's Michael Penix Jr. in some combination.

Instead, this mock has them all waiting for Day 2, despite seeing Williams and Maye both come off the board in the top three.

That's not the case for this year's deep wide receiver class, which ties the modern draft record with seven first-rounders in this projection, starting with Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 2 overall, Chicago Bears).

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. — Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr :: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

Harrison is the only pass-catcher in the top 10, but they come off the board fast and furious later in the round: LSU's Malik Nabers (No. 13 overall, Cincinnati Bengals), Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka (No. 17 overall, Houston Texans), Washington's Rome Odunze (No. 22 overall, Dallas Cowboys), Texas' Xavier Worthy (No. 25 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers), Texas' Adonai Mitchell (No. 31 overall, Kansas City Chiefs), and Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley (No. 32 overall, San Francisco 49ers).

The biggest surprise in this mock might be seeing those seven wide receivers come off the board in the first round without Florida State's Keon Coleman being among them.

To check out the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.

Published Oct 16, 2023

LUKE EASTERLING

Luke Easterling (he/him) has been covering college football and the NFL for more than two decades, with a particular focus on the nexus of both, the NFL Draft. Writing for some of the largest and most recognizable brands in sports media, Luke's experience and expertise in evaluating potential NFL prospects and evaluating team needs/fits has earned the appreciation of his readers, and the respect of his peers. Luke cut his sports journalism teeth at The Tampa Tribune before spending two years at Bleacher Report as a featured columnist covering the NFL Draft and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke then spent nearly seven years at USA TODAY Sports Media Group as editor of Draft Wire and Bucs Wire, building both into authoritative destination sites for their respective audiences. Now at The Arena Group, Luke covers the NFL and college football for Athlon Sports, and runs Sports Illustrated's FanNation site for the NFL Draft. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Luke has been a featured guest on ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, SiriusXM and more. Based in Tampa, Florida (the true home of the Cuban sandwich), Luke plays the drums, loves 2000s pop-punk, watches way too many British murder mystery shows, and channels the energy of his deep-south Grammy and his full-Italian Nana in the kitchen. Twitter: @lukeeasterling Email: luke.easterling@si.com