TNT 2024 NFL mock draft: 3 big trades in round 1, including by Seahawks; Penix stays west
When the Seahawks’ decision-makers are busy working phones to others across the NFL during the draft, what are they talking about?
“John (is) yelling at us to find more trade partners,” Trent Kirchner deadpanned last week.
Then the team’s vice president of player personnel smiled.
Seattle’s general manager John Schneider has traded his original first-round pick in 10 of the last 12 drafts. Almost as sure as the 12 flag flies, the GM deals. And those trades have been down, to acquire more picks in later rounds.
So the odds — and needs — are the Seahawks are not going to pick at their scheduled spot of 16 in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft Thursday. Precedent says Seattle will trade down yet again, to get back the second-round pick this year Schneider lost in October when he traded with the New York Giants for defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
But that’s only if the draft falls to the Seahawks as the team’s scouting and player personnel men predict it will.
What if a top quarterback — what if Michael Penix Jr. from the neighboring University of Washington — unexpectedly is there at 16? Or a top offensive lineman Seattle truly needs?
The News Tribune’s annual NFL mock draft says Penix won’t be — but a lineman they covet will be, and later. After they trade down.
That, and so much more:
TNT’S 2024 MOCK NFL DRAFT
1. Chicago: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
The Bears traded their recent first-round pick Justin Fields to do exactly this.
2. Washington: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
After trading starter Sam Howell to the Seahawks to become Geno Smith’s backup, the Commanders and new coach Dan Quinn make the Heisman Trophy winner the foundation of a franchise desperate for one.
3. New England: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
The Patriots post-Belichick think the much-debated Maye is the big-armed passer to make them forget Mac Jones. Will he remind them of Tom Brady?
4. Arizona: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Tempted to trade down from this for the 2nd consecutive draft, the Cardinals instead get the home-run target Kyler Murray’s lacked since DeAndre Hopkins left.
5. Minnesota (via predicted trade with Los Angeles Chargers): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
The Vikings fear the passer they covet to replace departed Kirk Cousins will be gone by their spot at 11. So they jump to get the QB Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh had at Michigan, but doesn’t need with Justin Herbert in L.A.
6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Giants GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll flew to Seattle and talked at length with Odunze at UW’s Pro Day last month — even though the elite receiver wasn’t working out that day. Odunze said he also visited the Giants in New Jersey last month. Where there’s smoke there’s ...
7. Tennessee: Joe Alt, LT, Notre Dame
Titans get their replacement for departed left tackle Taylor Lewan. Alt is the best offensive lineman in this draft.
8. Atlanta: Dallas Turner, edge rusher, Alabama
New coach Raheem Morris, a defense-first chief, knows pass rush is king in the NFL. He and the needy Falcons get this draft’s best pass rusher.
9. Chicago: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
The Bears can’t believe Nabers is here. Williams has a top talent to throw to. In two picks, Chicago already has a draft Mike Ditka — heck, George Halas — would have been proud of.
10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Aaron Rodgers gets the draft’s best, most-complete tight end. At least for the one year Rodgers might actually play.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (predicted trade with Vikings): Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Harbaugh builds — and wins — from interior of the lines. The massive, disruptive Newton will immediately improve the Chargers’ needy defense.
12. Philadelphia (predicted trade with Denver): Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
Broncos pass on a QB here because they think they can get him down at 22, plus get a second-round pick they currently don’t have. Eagles fulfill one of their big needs with a force few college offenses could block.
13. Las Vegas: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
There he goes. The Raiders love Penix the way owner Mark Davis’ dad Al loved deep-ball gunners such as Daryle “The Mad Bomber” Lamonica. And Las Vegas makes the Seahawks’ decision on Penix joining new (and former UW) play caller Ryan Grubb for them.
14. New Orleans: Taliese Fuaga, OT/G, Oregon State
Everyone in NOLA back to Harry Connick Jr. knows the Saints need strong, excellent, young offensive linemen. Fuaga is all that. New Orleans makes the smasher right tackle the highest drafted Mount Tahoma High School graduate since Bobby Moore (Ahmad Rashad) went fourth overall in 1972. They, and most of NFL, think he is a starting guard right now, too.
And the Seahawks exhale in celebration (see below).
15. Indianapolis: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The first cornerback to go in this draft is the best one in it. It’s 10 spots later than where the Seahawks selected Devon Witherspoon last year.
16. Seahawks ... trade down: Green Bay: Laiatu Latu, edge rusher, UCLA
With Penix gone, Schneider trades his original first-round pick — for the 11th time in 13 years. And to an old friend. The Seahawks get the Packers’ 25th pick, plus their 41st-overall pick to recoup the second-round choice Seattle lost to the Giants last fall in the Leonard William trade. Seattle sends the Packers their third-round pick, 81st overall.
If Penix is still on the board at 16, Seattle and his ex-UW play caller Grubb take him here. There are increasing signs he won’t be.
Green Bay takes the former Husky who left UW after a neck injury, then was absolutely studly in a renewed career after he got cleared at UCLA.
17. Jacksonville: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Jaguars no longer have Darious Williams, and need a top cornerback. Many in the NFL think Arnold can be this year’s Witherspoon, a starting corner who moves inside to nickel on passing downs as a rookie.
18. Cincinnati: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
‘Bama guys go back to back. The Bengals have had huge tackles Orlando Brown (6 feet 8, 345 pounds) and Trent Brown (6-8, 355) protecting Joe Burrow. Now they get the 6-6, 359-pound Latham to do that for years to come.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
The Rams have a first-round pick for the first time since 2016. They need studs on their defensive line to fill the epic void left by the retirement of Aaron Donald this offseason.
20. Pittsburgh: Graham Barton, C, Duke
Russell Wilson. Fields. No matter who plays quarterback the Steelers (they’ve had five of them the last two years), they need massive help on the offensive line. Some in the NFL think Barton could start for a decade at center in this league.
21: Miami: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Some see Fashanu as raw and coming off a disappointing final college season. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sees nothing raw or disappointing about one of this draft’s top tackles. Fashanu is 6-6, 312.
And the Seahawks exhale again (see below).
22. Denver (down in predicted trade with Philadelphia): Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Sean Payton gets more picks AND the quarterback he craves: One he can mold from Day 1 of his rookie year. Unlike the Raiders, the Broncos have concerns about Penix’s injury history. Those lead them to Nix.
23. Minnesota: Chop Robinson, edge rusher, Penn State
The Vikings lost Danielle Hunter to Houston in free agency on a $49 million deal. That leads Minnesota to Robinson. The speedy, athletic pass rusher disappointed some with his production last college season. Robinson will thrive in a specialized edge role.
24. Dallas: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
The Cowboys give offensive line coach (and ex-Seahawks O-line coach) Mike Solari a new tackle to block for the re-investment in quarterback Dak Prescott they seem about to make.
25. Seahawks (down in predicted trade with Green Bay): Troy Fautanu, OT/G, UW
Schneider can’t believe it. He gets the second-round pick he wanted — AND gets the Huskies’ stud blocker he was openly courting at the Huskies’ Pro Day last month. Some NFL personnel people have told The News Tribune Fautanu can start in the NFL not only at guard, the Seahawks’ prime need, but at ALL FIVE O-line positions.
Christmas comes in April to Schneider, new coach Mike Macdonald and new line coach Scott Huff — yes, Fautanu’s line coach at UW.
26. Tampa Bay: Darius Robinson, DT, Missouri
Bucs are seeking to rebuild the interior of their defensive and offensive lines. Robinson can play end and tackle. At 6-5, 286 with speed, him next to ex-UW Husky Vita Vea on Tampa’s D-line is already a problem for opposing offenses.
27. Arizona: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
The Cardinals have three picks among the draft’s first 35 selections. They use this one to get defense-first head coach Jonathan Gannon a weapon to defend against Kyle Shanahan’s, Sean McVay’s and Grubb’s offenses inside the NFC West.
28: Buffalo: Brian Thomas, WR, LSU
The Bills shedding contracts this winter make safety a need. But so is wide receiver, because they just traded star Stefon Diggs to Houston. Josh Allen’s new top target is Jayden Daniels’ guy who helped the LSU QB win the Heisman Trophy last season.
29. Detroit: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
New coach Dan Campbell sees Frazier as his kind of Lions player: Tough, talented and ready to play now. He may need to with how often veteran Frank Ragnow is injured.
30. Baltimore: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
The Ravens lost Pro Bowl inside linebacker Patrick Queen and safety Geno Stone, the AFC’s interception leader in 2023, off Macdonald’s top-ranked defense from last season. Many in the NFL believe DeJean is going to be a terrific pro safety.
31. San Francisco: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
The 49ers are seeking their eventual replacement for left tackle Trent Williams, who turns 36 in July. The 6-5, 325-pound Morgan is their man to protect Brock Purdy’s blind side beyond 2024.
32. Kansas City: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Coach Andy Reid knows he must give Patrick Mahomes receivers who can catch the ball more consistently than the Chiefs’ guys did last season. They won the Super Bowl despite their wide receivers, who led the league in drops. Mitchell’s size and speed give Mahomes yet another advantage.
This story was originally published April 23, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
