2024 NFL Mock Draft: Eight trades include Giants landing surprise QB as six signal-callers go in Round 1

CBS Sports | 2024 NFL Draft | 04/23/2024

LSU QB Jayden Daniels Photo: Getty Images

Many mock drafts have focused on the teams that want to trade up and less on how far teams might be willing to trade down

By R.J. White

We’ve finally reached NFL Draft week, which means we’re only days away from seeing 257 prospects turn into draft picks for the 32 NFL teams. Much like last year, there’s certainty at No. 1 (though more so this draft cycle with the Bears and Caleb Williams) and a whole lot of questions starting at No. 2.

On the Monday of draft week last year, the odds market had fully bought in on the Texans taking Will Levis at No. 2, making him the odds-on favorite for the pick at -120. Levis was also the favorite to be picked No. 4 at +130. Three days later, Levis was not picked at all in Round 1 as C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson were selected second and fourth overall, respectively. Other odds of note that Monday: Tyree Wilson was -550 to go in the top five (he went seventh), Christian Gonzalez was -200 to go in the top 10 (he went 17th) and Michael Mayer was -175 to be the first tight end selected (he was the third).

The moral of the story: We think we know generally how Round 1 is going to go after months and months of mock drafts, athletic testing and rumor-mill churning, but we have no idea. If you take any actual draft and present it to the masses as a mock draft even a few days out, they would think it was ridiculous. The Lions going Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in the first round? Nolan Smith lasting until No. 30?! Will Levis falling completely out of the first round?!? And so on.

I’ve attempted to harness some of the chaos by putting together a mock draft with some obvious and some not-so-obvious picks. As always, I generate several trades using my NFL Draft pick value chart, which is available over at SportsLine exclusively for members. While you’re there, you can also find 10 longshot NFL Draft bets I love heading into the final stretch, and my final mock draft will go up Thursday reacting to the final changes in prospect projections as NFL teams finalize their big boards.

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on “With the First Pick” — our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find “With the First Pick” wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.