2024 NFL Draft: Full first-round mock draft with trades

11. Atlanta Falcons (via MIN) - JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan

The Atlanta Falcons should sign a bridge QB in free agency; someone who has a track record of being able to occasionally win games would be ideal. Someone like Jacoby Brissett makes a lot of sense, but I could also see them shooting for a guy like Justin Fields in a trade or Kirk Cousins. The Falcons can draft a QB even if they acquire a stopgap passer.

JJ McCarthy is a very good athlete with a powerful and elastic arm. He is very young, so perhaps sitting on the bench and soaking everything in would be a great plan for his development and for the Falcons to find their successor to Matt Ryan.

12. Denver Broncos - Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

I think Bo Nix could be a perfect fit for Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos. Nix is a college graduate, has started a ton of games in college, has won a ton of games, and has thrown for over 15,000 yards. He does check all the boxes that Payton, a descendent of Bill Parcells, would desire in a QB. Nix might be able to come in and run the offense right away.

Even with this selection of Nix, I think the Broncos could still lean toward starting a bridge QB Week 1 of 2024, but it'd only be a matter of time before Bo Nix got the nod as the guy. Sean Payton takes a chance and tries to leave a lasting mark with the Broncos by selecting Nix, who began his career at Auburn before ending it with the Oregon Ducks.