Join me today at 2 p.m. EDT (18:00 UTC) for my Warsaken Blitz Draft Day special. Prizes and giveaways and such with a really fun game. Plus we'll be talking about the NFL Draft.
While I could see Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. going late in round one to a team trading up to get him, ultimately he didn't make my final one-round mock.
Part of the appeal for a team to possible move up for Penix in round one is because that puts the fifth-year option in play. That option only applies for selections in round one.
I wonder if Penix might end up with the Raiders, as many people I trust seem to think that is a legit possibility. But perhaps not at #13 overall.
To add some utility to Draft King beyond the NFL mock draft, I've created a list of 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Profiles. It's a long list.
If nothing else, give it a look to check out the Getty Images photo I decided to use for a given player.
Some had many more options than others. But I always tried to pick a shot that I'd want someone to choose for me if the roles were reversed.
One of my favorites is Michigan DT Kris Jenkins, who is framed in a really cool-looking/fun shot from the Rose Bowl with the Michigan band behind him in the photo by Sean M. Haffey.
I'll be updating the NFL team pages with the newly-drafted prospects and hyperlinks to a given player's bio page.
Back with the show at 2 p.m. EDT (18 UTC), Twitch and simulcast here on DraftKing.com.
Lou (5:59 p.m. CDT): Fun show, here's the Twitch VOD of today's 2024 Warsaken Blitz Draft Day Special.
Lou (6:15 p.m. CDT): After night one concludes this evening, I'll be updating the team-by-team listings. It should be a helpful way for fans to find out about their favorite team's new players in a quick/easy way.
Lou (6:29 p.m. CDT): Jayden Daniels is now a heavy favorite to be the #2 overall selection. I've been locked in on that going back to when LSU head coach Brian Kelly talked about Daniels going to Washington as if there was no doubt about it.
Looks like Maye at #3 is also a strong favorite as well. Not surprising other than how sharp the line is now. Ditto for Marvin Harrison Jr. and Arizona at #4.
From there, it becomes considerably more unclear.
Lou (7:13 p.m. CDT): During the process of looking up prospect highlight videos, I stumbled upon a YouTube video from 2021 of a boar named Draft King.
It has my purple-and-white NashvilleLou color scheme, though I had nothing to do with it.
Lou (7:19 p.m. CDT): There's a lot of filler/nonsense before the draft, but now the clock is running. And, as expected, the Chicago Bears have selected USC QB Caleb Williams at #1 overall.
Lou (7:35 p.m. CDT): At #3, the New England Patriots didn't waste much time in selecting North Carolina QB Drake Maye at #3 overall. This is all going as expected thus far. That will undoubtedly change soon.
Lou (7:40 p.m. CDT): No trade for the Arizona Cardinals, who stick at #4 and select Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Ultimately, it didn't matter that Harrison refused to be put through the paces in the pre-draft grind, even though that clearly got some of the gatekeepers involved with the process a bit salty.
Lou (7:48 p.m. CDT): And the Chargers selected Notre Dame OT Joe Alt. I wonder what this means for the Tennessee Titans at #7.
Lou (7:53 p.m. CDT): No trades thus far, with the New York Giants picking LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers at #6. This is what I predicted for the Giants, and Nabers will fill a need for New York.
Lou (8:01 p.m. CDT): With Alt off the board, the Tennessee Titans selected Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham. Still no trades.
Lou (8:09 p.m. CDT): In a surprise move, it's Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. going at #8 to the Atlanta Falcons. I had thought Penix might go late-first with a trade-up if not ending up sliding to day two, but Penix is off the board at #8 to an Atlanta team that recently signed QB Kirk Cousins.
Lou (8:13 p.m. CDT): As I projected, the Chicago Bears went with Washington WR Rome Odunze at #9. The Bears will be a very interesting team to watch this fall.
Lou (8:28 p.m. CDT): Trading up one spot to #10, the Minnesota Vikings finally made their move to get Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.
We're ten picks in and there have been zero defensive players selected. Five quarterbacks are gone.
Fashanu is a high-end pass blocker. I thought he'd be there for New Orleans at #14, but I was wrong.
At some point there will be defensive players drafted, though it's quite the sign of the times that there haven't been any taken yet.
Lou (8:34 p.m. CDT): 12 picks and all 12 are offensive players, with the Denver Broncos selecting Oregon QB Bo Nix, as I projected. The mutual interest there was hardly a secret, and the Broncos really couldn't risk trading back given the supply/demand.
Lou (8:40 p.m. CDT): 13/13 offense, as the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. He's a unique talent who should give a big boost to the Las Vegas passing game.
Lou (8:47 p.m. CDT): 14/14 offense with the New Orleans Saints selecting Oregon St. OT Taliese Fuaga. I had the Saints taking Fashanu, but with him gone it's New Orleans filling the expected need at offensive tackle.
Lou (8:53 p.m. CDT): At long last, a defensive player has been selected in this year's draft. UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu is off the board at #15 with the Indianapolis Colts.
Lou (9:03 p.m. CDT): As I projected, the Seattle Seahawks picked Texas DT Byron Murphy II. The whispers that this was the floor for Murphy proved true.
And for Minnesota, the selection is Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner. I thought Turner would be long-gone by now, but he's heading to the Vikings at #17.
Lou (9:22 p.m. CDT): As I had anticipated, the Cincinnati Bengals went with an offensive tackle. I thought it would be Fuaga, but with him gone it's Georgia OT Amarius Mims going to Cincinnati at #18.
Lou (9:25 p.m. CDT): I had the Los Angeles Rams going with an EDGE at #19, and they went that route with Florida State EDGE Jared Verse. Defensive tackle is a need, but the Rams can perhaps target that position more effectively on day two.
When is the run on corners going to begin?
Lou (9:31 p.m. CDT): For all the talk of the Pittsburgh Steelers going center at #20, the team ultimately went offensive line with Washington OT Troy Fautanu, who has the versatility to fill several OL positions.
Lou (9:41 p.m. CDT): At #21, the Miami Dolphins picked Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson. I had thoughts Fautanu would be here at #21, but instead of going OL the Dolphins pick up a big pass-rush boost with Robinson.
Lou (9:49 p.m. CDT): The Philadelphia Eagles targeted a cornerback as I projected, landing Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell at #22. There had been talk of teams looking to possibly trade up to get Mitchell well above this spot, but the Eagles stayed put and still ended up with their top choice of the entire defensive back class.
Lou (9:55 p.m. CDT): Tony Khan is wearing a neck brace in the Jacksonville Jaguars war room! Much respect working injured after last night's vicious attack on AEW Dynamite.
And the Jaguars pick up a talented receiver in LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.. Nice move by the Jags with the oft-traded #23 pick.
Lou (10:06 p.m. CDT): At #24, the Detroit Lions traded up with the Dallas Cowboys to select Alabama CB Terrion Arnold. Great move to move up to get a player who I thought would be gone in the top 15.
Lou (10:25 p.m. CDT): My projection of the Green Bay Packers going offensive tackle hit at #25, though they went with Arizona OT Jordan Morgan and not Tyler Guyton as I had thought.
And at #26, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Duke center Graham Barton. There had been strong indications that Barton would be gone by this point, but he was still there and now Barton is heading to Tampa.
At #27, the Arizona Cardinals drafted Missouri DL Darius Robinson. I had a different Robinson going here (Chop) but with the top EDGE candidates gone, a tweener DL like Darius is a good pick given what Arizona needs.
Robinson was in my mock for the bulk of the process late, and it's not surprising that he ended up going here to Arizona given the players available.
Lou (10:35 p.m. CDT): So much for the Kansas City Chiefs being focused at offensive tackle, with Kansas City moving up to #28 take Texas WR Xavier Worthy. I had Worthy mocked to the Chiefs for some time, but ultimately he didn't make the cut in this very deep WR class.
After trading back to #29, the Dallas Cowboys drafted Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton. I had the Cowboys taking Amarius Mims in my final mock, but after trading back Dallas instead goes OT with Guyton.
Lou (10:40 p.m. CDT): At #30, the Baltimore Ravens selected Clemson CB Nate Wiggins. This is one spot below where I had Wiggins going in my mock.
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