While the Bryce Young era isn't officially done in Carolina -- he's of course still on the roster -- getting benched two games into your second season in the NFL is about as alarming as it gets. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick has been benched in favor of Andy Dalton, and at this point, it'd be a shock if he's the Panthers starter at the beginning of the 2025 season.
Therefore, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, who doesn't have ties to Young, will probably select the quarterback of liking to steer the franchise in a new direction next April.
And that's precisely where things get fascinating. For the time being, Georgia's Carson Beck feels like the safest bet to be that first selection. He's not a traits specimen. But he has above-average physical tools by NFL standards and has been wildly efficient as a passer at Georgia.
But the Panthers, of course, aren't the going to be the only team in the quarterback market next spring. The New York Giants are likely to be chief among those clubs. Will it be USC's Miller Moss? Colorado's Shedeur Sanders? Miami's Cam Ward? Texas' Quinn Ewers? We can't even pencil-in anyone at this juncture, yet those candidates have all started the 2024 season tremendously at their respective schools.
Speaking of tremendous starts, I cannot rave enough about Travis Hunter. He has 30 catches for 342 yards with five touchdowns in three games plus a pick and two pass breakups as a full-time cornerback. Hunter is the type of genetic anomaly who typically is picked very early in the draft.
Before I begin, one name I'd like to present near the end of this first round -- Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon. He's a towering yet wide-bodied interior rusher who has generated 17 pressures on 81 pass-rushing opportunities through three games for the Ducks after consecutive strong seasons at Michigan State.
Now, let's get to the players who heard their names called in this week's mock draft.
The draft order below was determined using the current FanDuel Super Bowl odds but in reverse order.
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. Listen below!
Round 1 - Pick 1
The Panthers have been futile for going on three seasons now, and the steady pocket passer with plenty of SEC experience can help another rebuild in Carolina.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
The Giants make no mistake here, at least with the position they're targeting. Moss has displayed flashes of NFL-caliber skills at USC, and his head coach has a long history of producing quarterbacks the NFL loves in the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Hunter has been absolutely sensational, on both sides of the ball, to begin the 2024 college season. Cornerback and receiver, Hunter can do it all. He's the type of weapon the Broncos need.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
The Patriots are building for the long haul, and they get a raw-ish, immense upside defensive lineman in Williams to pair with Keion White up front.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Scourton is a wide, girthy rusher with inside-out capabilities and the light feet of a defensive linemen 20 or 30 pounds lighter.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Johnson looks the part of a lockdown, perimeter cornerback with freaky athleticism and plus ball skills. Immediate No. 1 cornerback in Washington.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Ward doesn't have freaky traits, but he's been uber-efficient to begin Miami's 2024 season. There are glimmers of athleticism when forced from the pocket, and he'll enter the NFL very experienced.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Without a clear-cut No. 1 offensive tackle in this class, there's room for risers to climb all the way to being the first player off the board at their position. That very well could be Savaiinaea, who's demonstrated plus pass-blocking abilities at Arizona.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
More youthful offensive weaponry for Anthony Richardson with the nifty and explosive burden.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
The Jaguars have to build the offensive front protecting Trevor Lawrence, so they get the squeaky-clean Banks to man either the left or right tackle spot.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Pearce has all the athletic tools necessary to, eventually, evolve into a premier outside rusher in the NFL. Exactly what the Cardinals head coach would love to add to this upstart defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Campbell hasn't been anywhere as dominant to begin 2024 as he was in 2023, yet the Bears make this selection with his upside in mind.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
How about a big-bodied ball-winner on the perimeter for Deshaun Watson or whoever is throwing passes in Cleveland next year? McMillan is a rebounding freak.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Going from more than a decade of Harrison Smith to Malaki Starks would be absolutely tremendous for the Vikings at the safety spot. Starks is ready to go. Right now. He's that good.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
How about this idea -- Sanders landing with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers super-stable franchise with a veteran-laden locker room. Sure, Justin Fields has played respectably to begin the season, but we have to think the Steelers won't completely close the door on finding the future at the quarterback spot, unless Fields continues to vastly improve.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Even if they only get to play next to each other for a short time, I need to see Walker next to Vita Vea on this Buccaneers front. Two enormous and highly athletic monsters on the interior.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, with his defensive background, would love a legitimately versatile front-seven piece like Carter to add to the Seattle defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
The Dolphins add a defender to help fill the vacancy left by Christian Wilkins signing with the Raiders in free agency in March.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
The Chargers add youth to their outside pass-rushing group with someone with years and years of SEC experience and high-level production.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
More Ohio State speed and route-running refinement for the surprisingly efficient Saints.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Perkins has looked ready for the NFL since his freshman season at LSU, and he can be a jack-of-all-trades up front as part-linebacker, part-bendy outside rusher.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Morrison has the length and physical traits Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has gravitated toward at the cornerback spot during his time calling the shots in Green Bay.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
The Jets plan for the future after Aaron Rodgers and allow him to be a mentor to the super-talented yet somewhat raw Ewers, who can take over after the 2025 season. Clear redshirt situation.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
After years of selecting non-flashy offensive linemen -- or defensive tackles -- in the first round, Jerry Jones gets his wish with the thunderous runner from Boise State who also comes with lightning quickness.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Harmon, the Michigan State transfer, has been unblockable to begin the year at Oregon. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, he has NFL-caliber size and burst off the snap.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Bond's been a big-play waiting to happen to start the 2024 season at Texas. He'll be another smaller and speedy weapon for Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
An Ohio State rusher to align opposite former Michigan alum and budding superstar Aidan Hutchinson in Detroit.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
It has gotten to the point where the idea of Dallas Goedert is better than actual Dallas Goedert. The Eagles add another talented tight end for Jalen Hurts.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Walker can do it all in the front seven -- range to the football on an outside run or beat an offensive tackle with speed-to-power conversion around the corner. DeMeco Ryans will be thrilled with his addition.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Given the ages of the two defensive tackles playing along with Ed Oliver on the interior, the Bills add a youthful specimen to the defensive line. Sanders has been a menace for South Carolina to date.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
The 49ers have to get stingier at the cornerback position, and Revel is the small-school defensive back with the athletic gifts and productivity to go in Round 1 next April.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
With Ersery and 2024 second-round selection Kingsley Suamataia, the Chiefs have their bookend tackles for a long time.
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