Emma's 2024 NFL mock draft: Bears add playmakers at quarterback, edge rusher

(Audacy Sports) The city of Chicago has longed to find a franchise quarterback to lead its beloved Bears.

Jay Cutler, the Bears’ polarizing starter for eight seasons, leads the franchise in all-time passing yards. Sid Luckman, whose career spanned from 1939-’50, is second on that leaderboard. Mitch Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and perhaps the greatest quarterback disappointment in team history, stands at fifth on that list.

Once again, the Bears have the opportunity to change their fortunes at quarterback as they hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a selection Chicago acquired as part of a blockbuster trade of the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 to Carolina.

Throughout the course of their pre-draft evaluation, it has become clear whom the Bears covet at No. 1 overall. But after that, there's plenty of intrigue in the first round of the NFL Draft. Let's break it all down with our mock draft.

1. Chicago Bears – quarterback Caleb Williams, USC
For all the quarterbacks who have passed through Chicago over the years, Williams could finally be the one to change everything. He’s considered a generational quarterback prospect with immense talents as he's set to enter the NFL. The Heisman Trophy winner in 2022, Williams is the clear top quarterback in this class. The Bears hope he'll change the course of their franchise.

2. Washington Commanders – quarterback Jayden Daniels, LSU
After hiring Dan Quinn as their new head coach and Kliff Kingsbury as their new offensive coordinator, the Commanders are seeking a franchise quarterback. Enter Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner in 2023. He threw for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and just four interceptions last season.

3. Minnesota Vikings (via New England Patriots) – quarterback Drake Maye, North Carolina
Patriots acquire Picks No. 11 & No. 23 from Vikings
In March, the Vikings made a trade with the Texans to acquire the No. 23 overall pick. In doing so, they positioned themselves to make a trade up to select Maye. The Patriots have entered a rebuilding process and are better suited with the trade down that will give them two first-round picks.

4. Arizona Cardinals – wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
The Cardinals began their offseason by declaring that Kyler Murray would be the team’s starting quarterback in 2024. Now, they’ll make a move to bring him a dynamic wide receiver. Harrison is a Hall of Fame legacy who has drawn comparisons to Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald.

5. Los Angeles Chargers – offensive tackle Joe Alt, Notre Dame
New Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh knows what he wants as an identity of his football teams. It starts up front with a dominant offensive line, and two-time All-American tackle Alt can help create that. He would provide much-needed protection for star quarterback Justin Herbert and bolster the entire offense to Harbaugh’s liking.

6. New York Giants – wide receiver Malik Nabers, LSU
The Giants can either select their next quarterback or invest around the one they currently have on the roster in Daniel Jones. While New York will certainly have interest in drafting a quarterback, Nabers is a dynamic talent that the franchise can’t pass up. He had 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 scores as Daniels’ top target in 2023.

7. Tennessee Titans – wide receiver Rome Odunze, Washington
To no one's surprise, the three talented wide receivers have gone early in this mock draft as Odunze lands in Tennessee as the new top target for second-year quarterback Will Levis. Odunze hauled in 92 receptions for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns last season as the Huskies reached the national championship game.

8. Atlanta Falcons – linebacker/pass rusher Dallas Turner, Alabama
First-year Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is a defensive-minded leader, and he can add a versatile player for that unit by selecting Turner, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Turner can make an impact as a pass rusher or linebacker in any NFL defense.

9. Chicago Bears – edge rusher Jared Verse, Florida State
The Bears will have options with the second of their two picks in the first round, including the opportunity to trade down. But general manager Ryan Poles will be drawn to adding another cornerstone to a budding defense. That’s Verse, a physical, violent pass rusher who had a combined 18 sacks across the past two seasons. He'll pair well alongside Pro Bowl pass rusher Montez Sweat.

10. New York Jets – tight end Brock Bowers, Georgia
The Jets are invested in former MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who suffered a torn Achilles on his fourth snap of the 2023 season. The 40-year-old Rodgers needs another weapon on offense, and that’s Bowers, the two-time Mackey Award winner as the top tight end in college football.

11. New England Patriots (via Vikings) – quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
There seem to be mixed reviews on McCarthy's draft stock, but what can't be disputed is that he’s a winner. He led Michigan to the national championship last season and could be the next Wolverines quarterback to lead the Patriots forward. After dealing down from No. 3 overall, New England lands its next arm after all.

12. Denver Broncos – quarterback Bo Nix, Oregon
The Broncos made a desperate move in March by releasing two-year starting quarterback Russell Wilson, a transaction that will burden them with a $53-million hit on the salary cap in 2024 and $32 million in 2025. Denver is in a difficult place moving forward, so these next two years can offer the opportunity for head coach Sean Payton to develop a young quarterback like Nix.

13. Las Vegas Raiders – cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce is hoping to build a dominant defense, and this is an opportunity to add a core piece to that unit. Mitchell had six interceptions over the last two seasons. He made a strong impression at the Senior Bowl in January, then followed that up at the NFL Combine as he logged a 4.33 time in the 40-yard dash.

14. New Orleans Saints – offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Fuaga didn't allow a single sack across the past two seasons. He'll step in as an immediate starter protecting quarterback Derek Carr, who’s set for the second season of a four-year, $150-million deal in New Orleans.

15. Indianapolis Colts – wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
There are a number of different ways for Colts general manager Chris Ballard to go with this pick, but the priority will be to build around second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. By adding Thomas alongside Michael Pittman, the Colts will have a dynamic wide receiver duo to benefit Richardson’s development.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (via Seahawks) – cornerback Cooper DeJean, Iowa
Seahawks acquire picks Nos. 22 and 53; Eagles acquire picks Nos. 16, 81 and 118.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is one of the most aggressive executives in the NFL, and that will be the case in this draft. The Eagles need to shore up a defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL last season and which was horrific against the passing game. DeJean hauled in seven interceptions over the last two seasons and was named an All-American in 2023.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars – cornerback Terrion Arnold, Alabama
The Jaguars need to address their pass defense and complement their stout defensive front. They can do just that by selecting Arnold, an All-American who had five interceptions last season.

18. Cincinnati Bengals – offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, Washington
The Bengals made an important addition to their offensive line by signing veteran tackle Trent Brown on a four-year deal this offseason, but their protection needs don’t end there. They’ll bookend the line by selecting the All-American tackle Fautanu.

19. Los Angeles Rams – edge rusher Laiatu Latu, UCLA
In search of a pass rusher for their defense, the Rams won’t have to look too far. Latu won the Hendricks Award and Lombardi Award last season after recording 13 sacks.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, Penn State
Now with Wilson leading the way at quarterback, the Steelers must beef up their protection. Fashanu was a consensus All-American at Penn State and is the best offensive tackle available here.

21. Miami Dolphins – defensive tackle Byron Murphy, Texas
After losing standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to the Raiders in free agency, the Dolphins have a void on their defensive line. They can address that with Murphy, who can anchor defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s unit in Miami.

22. Seattle Seahawks (via Eagles) – defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
A Seahawks defense that was once at the top of the NFL bottomed out as one of the worst units in the league in 2023. Seattle hopes that changes under the watch of defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald. After moving down from No. 16, the Seahawks will select Newton to strengthen their defensive front.

23. New England Patriots (via Vikings) – offensive tackle JC Latham, Alabama
With their extra first-round pick that was acquired from the Vikings, the Patriots will address their offensive line with the 6-foot-6, 342-pound Latham, an All-SEC tackle.

24. Dallas Cowboys – offensive tackle Amarius Mims, Georgia
The Cowboys have a need at left tackle after losing Tyron Smith to the Jets in free agency. It’s a spot for Mims, a raw-but-talented prospect who’s especially strong in pass protection.

25. Green Bay Packers – cornerback Nate Wiggins, Clemson
Wiggins made quite a statement at the NFL Combine as he clocked a 4.28 time in the 40-yard dash, showcasing his great athleticism to scouts around the league. The Packers will have a formidable cornerback tandem with Wiggins playing alongside Jaire Alexander.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – center/guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
The Buccaneers were a surprise team last season as they won the NFC South and beat the Eagles in the wild-card round. With Baker Mayfield secured as their starting quarterback, the Buccaneers can make an important addition for him with the versatile Powers-Johnson.

27. Arizona Cardinals – cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
With Harrison as the Cardinals’ top pick at No. 4 overall, McKinstry now goes off the board. He’s an All-American who will instantly upgrade Arizona’s secondary for head coach Jonathan Gannon.

28. Buffalo Bills – wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Following the trade of four-time Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs to the Texans, the Bills have a need to fill at wide receiver. They can replace him with Mitchell, a 6-foot-4 target who had 14 touchdowns across the last two seasons with Georgia and Texas.

29. Detroit Lions – offensive lineman Graham Barton, Duke
One of the most fascinating prospects in this first round, Barton can play anywhere on the offensive line. He was a tackle at Duke who could slot in at guard or center in the NFL. If the Lions are looking for the best player available on their board late in the first round, that may well be Barton.

30. Baltimore Ravens – linebacker Payton Wilson, NC State
The Ravens don’t overthink their picks and have such a strong track record in the draft. The reigning Bednarik Award winner as the nation's top defensive player, Wilson will be another example of that. He ran a 4.43 in the 40 at the NFL Combine.

31. San Francisco 49ers – offensive tackle Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Looking to strengthen their pass protection, the 49ers will turn to Guyton as their pick late in the first round. He stands at 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds and has an athletic frame that will fit well with Kyle Shanahan’s scheme.

32. Kansas City Chiefs – wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Georgia
The two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs can bolster their prolific passing attack by bringing in McConkey as a target for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He’s considered an excellent route runner and has 4.39 speed.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .