Caleb Williams seem to have a franchise-altering, generational ceiling. However, even though the Chicago Bears pick first overall, is it a guarantee that they end up with him? I do think Bears GM Ryan Poles is going to be getting a ton of phone calls from other teams about wanting to move up to that No. 1 spot.
The Bears own the first overall pick, and that pick originally belonged to the Carolina Panthers. The Bears own first-round pick in 2024 is actually No. 9 overall. Anyway, the Bears might have a tough decision to make regarding the Justin Fields situation. Fields has shown minimal growth through three years in the NFL, but many have argued that he needs more going right around him.
Well, could there be a scenario where the Bears actually do not end up with Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft? Let's put together a small mock draft to see what that might look like.
2024 NFL Mock Draft: What if Bears don't draft Caleb Williams?
1. Atlanta Falcons (via CHI) - Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Ok, so here is what the Atlanta Falcons had to give up to move from the No. 8 spot to the No. 1 spot this year:
The Falcons make a strong enough offer for GM Ryan Poles to accept. Obviously, Atlanta selects Caleb Williams and plugs him into an already pretty filled-out roster. The offensive line is strong, and the play-makers are very good. All of a sudden, the Falcons become a viable playoff team in 2024, and the Bears get a metric ton of draft capital to work with.
2. Washington Commanders - Drake Maye, QB, UNC
I think this is going to be a pretty easy pick for the Washington Commanders. Drake Maye has all the tools needed to be a successful starter and does compare nicely to Justin Herbert at the next level. However, is Dan Quinn building a proper staff to develop a QB, or do they have a different scenario in mind? I do think Washington could trade out of this spot if they too got a strong offer.
3. New England Patriots - Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, OSU
The New England Patriots opt to not draft a QB with the third overall pick and instead opt to give whoever their QB will be a very good wide receiver. Marvin Harrison Jr likely comes into the NFL as a top-15 wide receiver, and will have huge shoes to fill after his father's Hall of Fame career. Harrison Jr has a rare blend of size and speed.
4. Arizona Cardinals - Joe Alt, OT Notre Dame
The Arizona Cardinals opt to further boost their offensive line and select Joe Alt from Notre Dame. Alt comes from a strong offensive line school, as the Fighting Irish have put players like Ronnie Stanley, Quenton Nelson, and Mike McGlinchey into the NFL, so Alt does have a nice case to be the first OL off the board.
He is a Week 1 starter protecting Kyler Murray's blindside.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (via LAC) - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a move into the top-five of the 2024 NFL Draft. Here is what they gave up to make the move:
And with the No. 5 overall pick, the Steelers will take Jayden Daniels from LSU. Daniels is perhaps the third-best QB prospect in this class and just won the Heisman Trophy. The Steelers need to cut the cord on the Kenny Pickett experiment and bring in a legitimate quarterback, as they do not currently have one on the roster. The Los Angeles Chargers get a total haul of picks to move down 15 spots in the first round.
6. New York Giants - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Back-to-back LSU Tigers come off the board, and the New York Giants bring some much-needed WR help in Malik Nabers, who, like Joe Alt, comes from a very good school in their respective positions. Nabers is a physical wide receiver and is a very good route-runner. The Giants need a true WR1.
7. Tennessee Titans - Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
I think the only correct selection for the Tennessee Titans with the seventh overall pick is either a left tackle or wide receiver. Both are huge needs for the team. Fortunately, Olu Fashanu is there for the taking, and the Titans make the move to make life easier for Will Levis in 2024. Wide receiver would be a fine selection here, but protection is more important.
8. Chicago Bears (via ATL) - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
The Chicago Bears moving down in the 2024 NFL Draft should mean that they continue to build around Justin Fields, so with their first-round pick that they got from the Atlanta Falcons, they select the 6'4" Odunze, a big-bodied pass-catcher with elite speed. A perfect compliment to DJ Moore, the Bears will boast the nasty WR duo and also a top-10 tight end in Cole Kmet.
9. Chicago Bears - Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
Oh man, this is a great haul for the Bears. They look to further bolster the defense and get the best pass rusher in this year's draft in Dallas Turner. All of a sudden, Chicago's defense looks all but set and their offense has another elite pass-catcher. We all saw how much the defense improved with the addition of Montez Sweat, and Turner is just icing on the cake.
10. New York Jets - JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Like the Tennessee Titans, I think the only two viable picks for the New York Jets in the first round are a wide receiver or offensive lineman. Well, JC Latham is there for the taking, and the Jets take the mountain right tackle. NY would still have to figure out their LT situation, but getting someone like Latham is a great start to rebuild this unit that was dreadfully bad in 2023.