College Sports Wire Mock Draft: NFC team trades up for Jayden Daniels, Brian Thomas Jr. a top 20 pick after combine
With the 2024 NFL combine wrapped up, we have a much better idea of how the first round of next month’s draft is going to look.
Measurements and testing are out of the way, and several players — namely LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. — boosted their stocks with very impressive showings in Indianapolis over the weekend.
Now that the combine is behind us, Ryan Roberts of College Sports Wire put out a new mock draft, and it features some interesting landing spots for LSU players.
Jayden Daniels is projected to go third overall in this mock, but not to the Patriots. Instead, Roberts has Minnesota trading up to land Kirk Cousins’ successor.
If Minnesota wants their quarterback in this class, it feels like they have to be aggressive. Getting up in front of the Giants and Falcons is important, and it feels like the Patriots are very much in the business of trading down with a rebuilding mindset. The Vikings get a dynamic dual-threat presence that is extremely attractive in today’s game.
For Malik Nabers, it’s a commonly projected landing spot. Roberts sends him to the Giants at No. 6, where he’d immediately become the top target for Daniel Jones.
With the top four quarterbacks off the board, the Giants choose to help the skill position as well. The team has a couple of good complementary weapons but no number-one wide receiver on the roster. Whether working inside or out, Nabers has the ability to change a game in a flash.
Finally, Thomas sneaks into the top 20 in this mock, joining a Jacksonville Jaguars team at No. 17 that could be in serious need of a receiver, depending on how the Calvin Ridley saga ultimately plays out in the coming days.
The Jaguars limped down the stretch once Trevor Lawrence got injured. Putting more receiving talent around him is paramount. Thomas has some of the highest upside of any pass catcher in the 2024 class. He should at worst provide a big-time vertical presence, with a massive remaining upside to tap into.
The NFL draft begins on Thursday, April 25.
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