Wes Langley's 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Debut

Round 1 Picks 17-32

Wes Langley follow @DraftUtopiaWes Last Updated: October 6, 2023.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Graham Barton, OT, Duke
    
    
    Jacksonville drafts Duke left tackle Graham Barton. With Jacksonville most likely cutting Cam Robinson to save cap space in 2024, it is very likely that Walker Little would remain at left tackle with last years first round pick Anton Harrison at right tackle. Graham Barton is a very smart high football IQ guy. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy believes he could kick inside to guard.
    
    
    
    Graham Barton could be this years version of Peter Skoronski. The first round offensive tackle that kicks inside to guard in the NFL giving Jacksonville an offensive line of Walker Little, Graham Barton, Luke Fortner, Brandon Scherff, and Anton Harrison up front for Trevor Lawrence. Barton is capable of playing right tackle if Walker Little or Anton Harrison gets injured, but he can start out at left guard and move over to right tackle if one of those two goes down.
    
    
    
18. Los Angeles Rams: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
    
    
    The Los Angeles Rams get an imposing presence at pass rusher. Dallas Turner complimented Will Anderson Jr. in 2022. This year he already has 20 quarterback hurries only five games into Alabama's 2023 season.
    
    
    
    
    
19. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
    
    
    Desmond Ridder's ceiling feels limited, but that's not why I'm mocking a quarterback to Atlanta. Michael Penix Jr. has posted two really strong seasons at Washington and defeated Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers in the Alamo Bowl. Michael Penix Jr. began the season first overall in the FBS in quarterback rating before J.J. McCarthy surpassed him in this category last week.
    
    
    
20. Indianapolis Colts: Kalen King, CB, Penn State
    
    
    Indianapolis desperately needs a number one corner. Drafting Kalen King allows you to move JuJu Brents to a number two cornerback role which might suit him better.
    
    
    
    
    
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
    
    
    Pittsburgh replaces Levi Wallace with Nate Wiggins as Wiggins compliments Patrick Peterson. Joey Porter Jr. can play nickel cornerback next year in 2024 after learning the Pittsburgh Steelers playbook. By 2025, Wiggins will be Pittsburgh's number one cornerback with Joey Porter Jr. as a high end number two corner.
    
    
    
22. Tennessee Titans: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
    
    
    Tennessee gets a slot receiver to compliment DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks. Emeka Egbuka shows far more explosion than Treylon Burks. He's also more durable than Burks, and could end up supplanting Burks as the number two receiver. If Egbuka pans out in the NFL he could be the number one target for Tennessee's quarterback down the road when Tennessee moves on from DeAndre Hopkins.
    
    
    
    Here is a film cut of Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka VS Notre Dame. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
23. Seattle Seahawks: Jer'Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
    
    
    The Seattle Seahawks replace can pair Dre'Mont Jones and Jarran Reed with Jer'Zhan Newton who was teammates with Devon Witherspoon at Illinois here. Newton would be the final piece to a strong defensive line to compliment the edge rushers and defensive backs in Seattle. Improvements still need to be made at inside linebacker, but most of the core you want o a strong defense is there.
    
    
    
24. Dallas Cowboys: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
    
    
    Dallas drafts a third edge rusher for depth here to replace Dorace Armstrong Jr. in 2024 before becoming the successor to Demarcus Lawrence in 2025. Some have Jared Verse in the top 5, but I have him falling like his Florida State predecessor Jermaine Johnson II where he starts out as a situational edge rusher before earning a bigger role. Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence would remain the starters. Verse would develop under those two for a year and then take over for Lawrence in 2025 on the edge across from Parsons forming a lethal edge rusher duo for Dallas.
    
    
    
    
    
25. Detroit Lions: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
    
    
    The Detroit Lions may bring in a third receiver to challenge Jameson Williams to be the number two target next to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Rome Odunze has dominated as the number one target for Michael Penix Jr and at the very worst will be a high end slot receiver next to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
    
    
    
26. Miami Dolphins: Patrick Paul, LT, Houston
    
    
    Miami is gonna need multiple offensive tackles after this season. Terron Armstead cannot stay healthy at left tackle and Austin Jackson is an unrestricted Free Agent at right tackle.
    
    
    
    
    
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Braelon Trice, EDGE, Washington
    
    
    Tampa Bay gets an edge rusher here. Tampa Bay has Shaquille Barrett and Joe Tryon their 2021 first round pick from Washington in 2024. Both Barrett and Tryon will be UFA's in 2025 if Tryon doesn't get a fifth year tender after the season allowing Tampa Bay to develop Trice for a year before starting him.
    
    
    
28. Buffalo Bills: Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami FL
    
    
    Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde are both getting older. Damar Hamlin still has two years left on his rookie deal. Buffalo will probably only bring back one of those three safeties on a team friendly deal while starting Kamren Kinchens across from that safety. Kinchens is an amazing playmaker in zone coverage as well as the top safety in the 2024 NFL Draft.
    
    
    
    
    
29. Baltimore Ravens: Maason Smith, DL, LSU
    
    
    Maason Smith would be a good replacement to Calias Campbell. Smith is a former five star recruit and seems like a high ceiling player on the front 7 that the Baltimore Ravens would gamble on.
    
    
    
30. San Francisco 49ers: Leonard Taylor III, DL, Miami FL
    
    
    San Francisco may not be able to pay both Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave after 2024. Leonard Taylor III is a great prospect to add on the defensive line if you want to reload at defensive tackle.
    
    
    
    
    
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
    
    
    Adonai Mitchell had 2 receiving touchdowns against Alabama. Xavier Worthy is considered the number one target on Texas, but Mitchell caught just as many targets as worthy and had less drops. That's what sold me on Mitchell as a first round weapon and deep threat for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
    
    
    
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
    
    
    Xavier Legette is a big bodied wide receiver at 6-2 227 pounds that ran a 4.30 40 time. Legette is also an amazing route runner as well as one of two receivers in college football along with Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton to have 0 drops on the year.
    
    
    
    Philadelphia replaces Quez Watkins with Xavier Legette. This gives Jalen Hurts A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Xavier Legette for two seasons in 2024 and 2025. When Howie Roseman has to decide whether to extend Brown or Smith long-term and cut the other to save cap space, you can just promote Legette to your number two receiver at that point with zero drop off in how potent the Philadelphia Eagles passing game will be.
    
    
    
    Here is a film cut of South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette VS North Carolina. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.