© Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
BucsGameday's Final 2024 First Round NFL Mock Draft
Writer and Draft Analyst Collin Haalboom provides his final prediction for what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will do on the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite bringing back a number of key free agents, still have plenty of holes to fill. As of today, interior offensive line, edge rusher, cornerback, inside linebacker, wide receiver, and tight end remain some of the team’s most pressing positional needs.
However, with only one pick in the first round, the Buccaneers won’t be able to solve that puzzle with the selection of one player. That said, finding a player whose talent matches up with a position of need would be a great place to start for Jason Licht and the rest of the Buccaneers’ front office.
With just over 24 hours until the 2024 NFL Draft officially kicks off in Detroit, let's take one last crack at predicting how each of the first 32 picks will play out.
1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Immensely talented, and with plenty of weapons at his disposal, Caleb Williams will be asked to step into the spotlight and rescue the Windy City from the basement of the NFC North.
2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who will now be tasked with turning the Washington Commanders franchise into a winner. Even though he's considered a late bloomer, Jayden Daniels still has a ton of upside based on his unique skillset.
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
The Patriots would be ill-advised to pass on a prolific talent like Drake Maye in this spot. Based on their obvious need at the position, I expect them to make the right choice.
4. Minnesota Vikings (via Arizona): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Although his full arsenal of skills wasn't really on display at Michigan, Vikings' head coach, Kevin O'Connell, will aim to unleash J.J. McCarthy's potential at the NFL level.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh may be pushing for his boss to draft Joe Alt here, but first-year GM, Joe Hortiz, knows that his big-armed quarterback needs a bonafide weapon to throw to. Marvin Harrison Jr. is exactly that.
6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Although the Giants desperately need a quarterback, they likely aren't willing to part with the draft picks needed to move up to draft one of the top four prospects at the position. They also need a receiver, and Nabers has the potential to develop into one of the NFL's best.
7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame
After addressing several other key positions in free agency this offseason, the Titans would be wise to use their first pick on the best tackle in the class. After all, it won't be possible to fairly evaluate Will Levis if they can't keep him upright.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
Not many people have Laiatu going off the board inside the top 10, but based on his talent, mentality, and production at UCLA, he is deserving of consideration. I believe Laiatu is the best pass rusher in the draft, and his selection in this spot would fill an obvious need for the Falcons.
9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
The Bears could just as easily opt for one of the best defenders in the draft, but Rome Odunze belongs in the top-10. Pairing him with D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen would provide Caleb Williams with a treasure trove of talented receivers to throw to in year one.
10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
If the Bears pass on Odunze, he could very well be the pick here. If they don’t? Brock Bowers would be a great alternative. Bowers has the ability to step in and produce like an upper-echelon tight end right away for the Jets. Especially with Aaron Rodgers at the helm,
11. Arizona Cardinals (via MIN): Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toldeo
After opting to move back in a projected trade with the Vikings, the Cardinals are still able to grab the most well-rounded corner prospect in the entire draft, outside of the top 10. That's good business.
12. Denver Broncos: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
The Broncos are a tough team to predict with so many holes on their roster. Despite the obvious need at quarterback, I don't expect them to reach on the fifth-best signal caller this early. Instead, I think they use the pick to draft a top-tier edge rusher, which Dallas Turner has the potential to become.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
The Raiders have plenty of needs, but offensive tackle should be near the top of their list. Lucky for them, it's a great draft class for OTs, and only one has been drafted so far. Why not take the most talented pass protector with tremendous all-around upside in Olu Fashanu?
14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
The Saints have a glaring need at offensive tackle. Taliese Fuaga would immediately upgrade their OL group while providing them with a much more reliable option than the last first-round tackle they selected, Trevor Penning, who already looks like a failed experiment.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Colts have a number of priorities to address in the draft, but with only one cornerback off the board, grabbing Terrion Arnold in this spot would be wise. Arnold is a tremendous athlete with a tenacious compete level. He has all the tools needed to eventually develop into an excellent NFL corner, with more than enough ability (and the right mentality) to start on the outside right away.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
Fautanu has proven he has the ability to play tackle, but I believe has All-Pro potential as a guard in the NFL. Regardless of their vision, Fautanu's versatility could be extremely useful for the Seahawks, who should already be very familiar with the former Washington Husky's abilities.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke loves athletes. Cooper DeJean is highly athletic in addition to being an aggressive run defender with the ability to play any position on the back end of a defense. He's also a capable kick returner. DeJean would be a valuable addition and an immediate contributor to Jacksonville's defense next season.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
There's a strong possibility that Murphy is long gone by this point of the draft. If he's not, he would provide a major boost to Cincinnati's defensive line, which lost D.J. Reader to Detroit in free agency.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Even though he's a little undersized, Jer'Zhan Newton is an explosive interior defensive lineman with the ability to wreak havoc as pass rusher from the inside. He's not Aaron Donald, but he would immediately restore the interior presence they're used to having in LA.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Even in a loaded offensive tackle class, Amarius Mims may have the brightest future of them all. Mims possesses rare athleticism and movement skills for a player of his size, and his best days are likely ahead of him. The Steelers took a similar gamble on his former teammate Broderick Jones last season, and reuniting the two would provide the Steelers with a bookend tackle tandem that could develop into something special within a few years.
21. Miami Dolphins: Graham Barton, OL, Duke
The Dolphins could benefit from adding a gritty, powerful, and versatile offensive lineman to help ensure Tua Tagovailoa stays out of harm's way. Enter Graham Barton. The former Duke product starred at left tackle for the Blue Devils but is expected to kick inside at the pro level. He would immediately provide stability for Miami as a plug-and-play starter, most likely at center.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
The Eagles pass defense needs an injection of talent. With the top three corners off the board, Nate Wiggins makes the most sense. Though undersized, he's a smooth athlete who can turn his hips without breaking stride, while still maintaining the speed needed to stick with NFL receivers downfield.
23. Arizona Cardinals (via Minnesota): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Although the Cardinals lost out on the chance to draft Marvin Harrison Jr., they're still able to add a dynamic receiving threat with one of the two first-round picks they received from Minnesota. Brian Thomas Jr. is big, fast, and has a knack for finding the end zone. Robinson would provide Kyler Murray the big-play receiver that he desperately needs.
24. Dallas Cowboys: J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama
There’s a strong possibility that J.C. Latham is long gone by this point of the draft. But in this scenario, the Cowboys — who have several holes to fill along their offensive line — benefit greatly from adding a powerful, sturdy, bulldog of a tackle prospect with the versatility to kick inside if needed.
25. Green Bay Packers: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
The Packers could use some reinforcements along their offensive line, and the Rimington trophy winner – awarded to the nation’s top center – would be a great fit. Jackson Powers-Johnson is a tenacious player with enough athleticism and more than enough attitude to become a leader in the trenches at the NFL level.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
There's certainly a chance that Verse could be selected much earlier than this, but it's also possible that he could slide into this range, similar to fellow FSU alum Jermaine Johnson back in 2022. Adding Verse without moving up would be a major win for the Buccaneers who need more juice when it comes to rushing the passer. Not only that, but Verse has the power and athleticism to be an impact defender against the run as well — which is something that Todd Bowles covets.
27. Arizona Cardinals: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
The Cardinals' first-round draft haul continues, as they add one of the most impressive athletes in the entire draft with their third pick of the first round. Although his sack production for the Nittany Lions was underwhelming, the 21 year old has the profile to develop into an NFL star with some quality coaching and refinement.
28. Buffalo Bills: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Although the Bills would love to get their hands on one of the top three receivers in this class, I'm not sure GM Brandon Beane has the ammunition to do it. Worthy's NFL record 4.21 40-yard dash at the combine opened a lot of eyes, but he proved last year at Texas that there's more to him than just speed. His talent could be fully unlocked playing alongside Josh Allen.
29. Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Kool-Aid McKinstry has the talent, experience, and maturity to step in and contribute as a starting NFL corner in year one. The Lions have an obvious need at the position, and he seems like the type of leader that GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell would be drawn to.
30. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
The general consensus is that the Ravens may look to capitalize on this strong offensive tackle class with their first pick, and I tend to agree. Tyler Guyton stands is a towering 6'8" tackle prospect with great length, footwork, and plenty of other physical traits that would be appealing to NFL decision-makers.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
Jordan Morgan was a three-year starter at Arizona, and he improved his draft stock each season based on a solid athletic profile and consistent performance on the field. The 49ers would benefit from investing in their offensive line, and Morgan will likely be one of their best options at this point of the draft.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
The Chiefs, despite winning each of the last two Super Bowls, are still lacking consistent play from the wide receiver position. Legette had a great season for the Gamecocks in 2023 where he proved to be one of the most talented contested catch winners in the nation. He's strong, sneaky fast, and still has plenty of room to improve on his route-running. It's hard to think of a better place for him to do that than Kansas City.
You can follow Collin Haalboom on Twitter.
Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 offseason.
