2024 Off-Season Mock Drafts: How Does A Pre-Combine Single-Quarterback Rookie Mock Look Now?

Today we’ll be looking at the second single-quarterback rookie mock I participated in last month, and the last mock before the NFL Scouting Combine. If you’re curious to see how the two mocks compare, be sure to check out the previous article from a few weeks ago. On a personal level, the biggest difference between the two mocks was where I was drafting. I had pick 12 in the first single-QB mock, and in this version, I was picking second overall.

When I participate in mocks, I try to think about what my imaginary roster would look like for me to end up picking where I am. I rarely draft solely following the best player available mantra, and I will prioritize positions where my team needs help. So, in this mock, picking second, I’m assuming my team stinks and needs as many dynamic playmakers as possible to dig myself out of the cellar, so let’s see how this played out.

Round One

I previously took a brief look at the first round in an earlier article, but I’ll go into a little more depth here. Picking second, I already knew where I was going. Malik Nabers is as close to a no-brainer at 1.02 in single-quarterback leagues as you’ll find (assuming, of course, Marvin Harrison Jr will always be the top pick) – and I say that as a huge fan of Rome Odunze too. Again, I’m going into this with the belief that my imaginary team needs high-upside playmakers, and I think Nabers has an even higher ceiling than Harrison.

Brock Bowers at 1.03 is too early for me, but if he’s your guy, he’s certainly not going to be there at 2.03, so you’ve got to pull the trigger on him here. Following the combine, I’m much lower than most on Troy Franklin, so looking back at this draft now, I really dislike Franklin at 1.05, but I understood it at the time. I also don’t think we see Keon Coleman in the first round anymore – let alone 1.08 – in any future mocks or actual drafts. Brian Thomas Jr is a locked-in first-rounder now, as is Trey Benson. Keep in mind, this draft took place approximately 21 days ago, so Xavier Worthy going 1.09 prior to his blazing 4.21 40-yard dash doesn’t look to be the reach I thought it was at the time.

The quarterback trio of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye caught me off guard a bit. You don’t typically see three quarterbacks in the first round of single-QB leagues, but I’m happy to see it if I’m not one of the people drafting them, since that means more running backs and wide receivers will fall to me later in the draft.

Round Two

In the last round, I said I was happy to see three quarterbacks go, so to have the second round start with a second tight end, I was thrilled. I’m not great at math, but having three quarterbacks and two tight ends through 13 picks means that I’ve got five players available to me at 2.02 who I probably wasn’t counting on being there when the draft kicked off.

Again, I mentioned my imaginary team being terrible and swinging for the fences, and Jonathon Brooks falls into my lap here. Many believe Brooks to be the most talented running back in this class, and the only thing holding his price down is a late-season knee injury. If my team isn’t good and I’m picking second, it is unlikely that any four rookies are going to turn me into a contender. So, snatching up Brooks here makes a lot of sense as he might not play much in 2024 anyway, and I can plan on him being a significant part of my rebuild when he is healthy in 2025. Through two rounds, I feel like I have the highest upside receiver and rusher in the class.

My pick was followed by Adonai Mitchell and a pair of running backs in Braelon Allen and Bucky Irving. I’m still not quite sure what I think of Mitchell, and I fear Allen and Irving are both going to be very, very landing spot dependent.

I like Jalen McMillan, but seeing him go ahead of Roman Wilson, Ladd McConkey, and Huskie teammate Ja’Lynn Polk was a shocker. McMillan going 18th overall looks to be an outlier in this mock though, as he never cracked the top 25 in any other mock in the month of February. Javon Baker at pick 21 was another reach, as he only cracked the top 30 one other time in all of February too, so maybe it was a single, weird receiver draft, which happens.

Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley is locked in at this two-three turn in drafts. He seems to always go between 21 and 27 in every draft, and oddly enough, 50% of the time he is going 24th or 25th. I can’t recall ever seeing someone locked into a draft slot with little to no variation from draft to draft. This was one of the final mocks in February, and – spoiler alert – so far in the March mocks I’ve participated in, he’s still locked in at the turn.

Round Three

I can’t believe how deep this rookie receiver class is. Even in a single-QB draft, four receivers were selected in round three that I would be happy to draft in general but thrilled to land them at this price. I took Xavier Legette at 3.02, but I would be just as happy with Devontez Walker, Brendan Rice, or Ricky Pearsall too. As a matter of fact, as of this writing, I probably like Pearsall the best of the quartet now that I’ve seen more tape of them and watched them perform at the combine.

Another three quarterbacks were taken, and for me, this is where I don’t mind gambling on the position in 1QB leagues. JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix are fine in this range as potential stashes on your taxi squad.

The five running backs in round three are a mixed bag. MarShawn Lloyd, Audric Estime, Jase McClellan, Will Shipley, and Dillon Johnson are not my favorite RBs in this class. Oddly enough, at the same time, I don’t hate them and can imagine at least a couple of landing spots for each of them that would make them very intriguing prospects. I do like some of the running backs still on the board more than all of them, and there are still several good receivers left too, so collectively, I don’t like where any of the five were drafted.

Round Four

Starting off round four, I mentioned earlier how sometimes you might be involved in a singular weird receiver draft, and the selection of Isaiah Williams at 4.01 solidifies it. This was the only time he was drafted in all of the February mocks. The same is true for Jordan Whittington at 4.11, so it looks like this was simply a weird draft for receivers, which is good to see, especially since all of the “outlier” picks were from different teams and a single drafter wasn’t making a bunch of weird picks skewing the data.

I was thrilled to get Jaylen Wright at 4.02, but after his combine performance, that ship has sailed. You won’t be seeing him anywhere near pick 38 ever again, and more often than not, he has moved up at least 20 picks, and in some leagues, he’s even been going in the late first.

The next three running backs are three of my favorites in this class too. Ray Davis, Cody Schrader, and Dylan Laube would be incredible players to add to your roster this late. I’m not even being hyperbolic, but I think they can all easily flirt with top-15 PPR finishes in their rookie season. They all have higher PPR upside than any of the round three backs.

Again, we see more wide receiver value continue to slip down the board. Jamari Thrash is good. Jacob Cowing is good. Jermaine Burton is good. In the past, you get into these end-of-the-draft selections, and you’re just holding your nose and hoping to pick the lesser of several evils, but this year, you’ve still got several options you’re happy to pick from as you near pick 50.

Depth, depth, and more depth. This year’s rookie drafts are already more fun than I can remember since maybe 2017. While there is no way to know if any of these rookies will actually be any good, at least we’ll enjoy draft season. Far too often, I recall feeling disgusted when I’m on the clock with pick 2.06 as I sift through what seems to be a never ending pile of garbage, but when you can get into the fifth round of rookie drafts and still be thrilled certain players are still out there, you know it’s going to be an enjoyable draft season.

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John DiBari

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Like a true degenerate, John has over 20 years of fantasy experience across all sports. Nowadays he primarily focuses on dynasty and redraft football, fantasy golf, and fantasy hockey and has written about each across multiple platforms for nearly 5 years. He loves rookie mock drafts and can always find a negative, pessimistic angle on all your favorite players.