We made it!! Round 1 of the first rookie 1QB mock draft of the 2024 cycle is here. Nothing fancy here, just a quick first round to start laying down a baseline. We had a big wide receiver run to start the draft.
Let’s dig into the first rookie mock of the season.
1QB Rookie Mock Draft 1.0 – Round 1
1.01 Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, 6’4″ 205
OSU
What if I told you we had the power to clone a Hall Of Fame wide receiver? However, we have made him bigger, faster, and stronger. That is the package you get with Marvin Harrison Jr. He has been training for this role since he could walk and will be an immediate day-one top dynasty asset. Marvin will be a top-four selection in the NFL draft and will likely earn the number one wide receiver spot on his team by the time pre-season rolls around. You can slot him into the WR1 spot on your dynasty team for Week 1 of 2024.
1.02 Malik Nabers, WR, 6’0″ 200
LSU
Malik Nabers is NOT a body catcher pic.twitter.com/5229OdfqTk
— Jason DiRienzo (@allpurposescout) December 30, 2023
This is my WR1(a) in the class. Nabers led the FBS in receiving yards (1,569) and boasted a stat line of 89 receptions and 14 touchdowns. He combines a combination of crisp routes, playmaking ability, and fantastic adjustments to the football. Nabers is going to be the next great NFL wide receiver to come from LSU. My NFL player comparison for Nabers is Stefon Diggs. Nabers is currently projected to be a top 10 NFL draft pick, which gives him a chance to make an immediate impact in the NFL.
1.03 Rome Odunze, WR, 6’3″ 216
Washington
Odunze has become my second favorite receiver in the class. He is big, fast, and has excellent hands. Few players come out with his rare combination of natural gifts and tools. He has production that matches every receiver in the class and has shown an ability to win at all levels of the field. In a 1QB draft with the running back position in flux within this class, it was either Odunze or Brock Bowers. Odunze feels like a beefed-up AJ Green, and I am happy to scoop up every share I can.
1.04 Keon Coleman, WR, 6’4″ 215
Florida State
I’m very close between Brock Bowers and Keon Coleman here, but at the moment, I’m taking Coleman. He’s an elite jump ball guy, but he’s more than just a red zone target. He’s a true X receiver with underrated RAC ability. He reminds me of DK Metcalf. He’s uber-athletic and is going to blow people away at the combine. In my opinion, there is a tier drop after him at the wide receiver position.
1.05 Brock Bowers, TE, 6’4″ 230
Georgia
Brock Bowers is going to be a matchup nightmare at the next level.
— Snoog’s Dynasty Society (@FFSnoog) January 4, 2024
With how McBride, LaPorta, Kincaid have been succeeding early on with their play style, just wait for Bowers.
The best one is yet to come out 💨 pic.twitter.com/EoY2rciiS1
Bowers has been the top tight end prospect of this draft class for a while now. He might be a little smaller than the elite tight end in the NFL, but he has the attributes teams look for in an elite prospect. Bowers has above-average speed, good route running, and elite athleticism. His YAC ability is another reason he will be a TE1 in the NFL for years. He is a player who could go as high as 1.03 in rookie drafts, and he is likely a top 10 NFL draft pick.
1.06 Caleb Williams, QB, 6’1″ 203
USC
In a 1QB league, this may seem early, but if this year taught us anything, it is the quarterback position is fragile. Wiliams is a long-term solution destined to be either a Commander or Bears at this point. Both teams have skill players to make plays and support him; thus, he gets the nod here from me in the top half of the first round.
1.07 Troy Franklin, WR, 6’3″ 187
Oregon
Yea I'm ALL in on Troy Franklin.
— Robert 💔💔 (@RobertRaymond46) December 30, 2023
He's a 3 level WR.
He can create after the catch, he can catch jump balls, he's great at intermediate routes as well.
No way he falls to the Chiefs but he's going to be a stud for any NFL team.
Top 20 player imo. pic.twitter.com/KRTJGeqgUc
Troy Franklin will rise throughout the draft season, and I believe he will be a late first-round NFL pick. Taking him at 1.07 in a 1QB mock feels right, and I imagine you’ll be able to land Franklin with a late first/early second-round pick in Superflex drafts. Franklin is a dynamic vertical threat and a proficient route-runner, setting numerous receiving records at Oregon.
1.08 TreVeyon Henderson, RB, 5’10” 212
OSU
If he declares, Henderson is the undisputed RB1 in this draft class, and it was the best-case scenario for me at 1.08. He checks all the boxes and profiles as a second-round pick. Henderson has elite production, nasty elusiveness, the requisite speed, and receiving ability. He is a freight train when healthy. Depending on the landing spot, I think he could be a top-10 dynasty running back the moment he’s drafted. Baltimore makes sense at the end of the first, but the second round is more likely. Carolina and Los Angeles are other potential landing spots.
1.09 Xavier Worthy, WR, 6’1″ 172
Texas
One of two potential first-round receivers for the Texas Longhorns, Xavier Worthy continues the early run on wideouts in the first round. Having put up over 1K yards in 2023, Worthy uses a blend of sharp route-running, speed, and separation skills to stand out, and his style of play will easily translate to the modern-day NFL offensive style. It will be tough to find another value like Worthy at the end of the first round, and with as WR-heavy as your draft likely will be, finding another prospect like Worthy will be ‘worthy’ of your investment.
1.10 Brian Thomas Jr, WR, 6’4″ 205
LSU
Brian Thomas Jr is gaining steam within NFL Draft circles after a big season at LSU. The true junior wide receiver posted a 68/1177/17 line, leading the nation in touchdown receptions. 6’4, 205, and with good ball skills and length, the 21-year-old Thomas brings vertical speed and a 50/50 ball mentality to the table. Expect Thomas to be drafted this April in the late first or early second round.
1.11 Trey Benson, RB, 6’1″ 223
Florida State
If a running back goes in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it has to be FSU's Trey Benson. Tremendous body control, vision, power, and burst makes him an every down back in the NFL pic.twitter.com/xLleRcJ13n
— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) January 4, 2024
A mildly underwhelming pick resulting from sharp drafting ahead of me, Benson is a no-nonsense tackle-breaker. The engine of the Seminoles’ offense for two seasons now, Benson runs with attitude and a refusal to go down on first contact. While not a premier athlete, what Benson lacks in explosiveness, he makes up for with excellent contact balance and flexibility. Comfortable running between the tackles and capable of handling a first and second down workload in year one, Benson will be one of the few preferred options for NFL and dynasty teams looking to improve at running back.
1.12 Emeka Egbuka, WR, 6’1″ 203
OSU
Picking at the 1.12, I was shocked to see Emeka Egbuka on the board. I’ve been high on Egbuka for years, and I’m more than happy to take a discount on him. Even in a Superflex format, I would have taken Egbuka higher than the 1.12.
Egbuka is next in the line at OSU, aka Wide Receiver University. Egbuka had an incredible 74/1151/10 season during his sophomore year. Now, Egbuka did take a step back in 2023, but that’s because he was playing alongside Marvin Harrison Jr, and Kyle McCord is terrible. It’s really simple: Egbuka saw a drop in production because McCord isn’t good enough to support two elite receivers.
One Response
I’m curious to see how Coleman, Franklin, and Thomas Jr change over in adp over the offseason. I think Thomas jr rises a ton.