Now that all the brutal April Fools' jokes are over and done with, it's time to get down to business with the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching.
Before we fully move on, yesterday I saw an attempted joke on Twitter/X that "reported" Stefon Diggs was being traded to the Giants for the No. 6 overall pick, a conditional selection in 2026 and ... an everything bagel. Actually, that was kind of funny. It had thousands of retweets, and I even had a buddy call me to ask if it was true.
Pro Days are essentially done, but there is plenty to get to on the draft circuit. Obviously.
If you're new here, I got you. We're rebranding the Pick Six newsletter through the end of April, and maybe into early May. I, CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Chris Trapasso, will be with you every step of the way. Honored.
I'll be tracking everything that transpires in the NFL and spin everything into a draft angle. There's always a draft angle! Trust me. At least in my head there is, and with this newsletter you'll be getting a daily glimpse inside my draft-obsessed brain from now until the morning of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Before I begin, this paragraph will be your daily reminder to tell all your buddies and that one uncle who's always texting you the importance of drafting mid-round offensive linemen to sign up for the With the First Pick newsletter. All you have to do is click here and then share this link with them.
1. Today's NFL mock draft 🔮: Five QBs in Round 1
Ryan Wilson wrote his 48 millionth mock draft on this glorious Tuesday and it features, yes, five quarterbacks being selected in the first round.
1. Chicago Bears -- Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2. Washington Commanders -- Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
3. New England Patriots -- Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
4. Arizona Cardinals -- Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
5. Minnesota Vikings (via mock trade w/ Chargers) -- J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
16. Seattle Seahawks -- Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
23. Los Angeles Rams (via mock trade w/ Vikings) -- Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
32. Kansas City Chiefs -- Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
While you'll have to click the link to Ryan's article to reveal who the fifth quarterback is, the mock also features offensive skill-position players going to locales with established quarterbacks in the loaded AFC, like Thomas to the Chargers, a certain tight end to Joe Burrow's Bengals and Mitchell to Kansas City.
2. How Bears will decide No. 9 overall pick
Chicago GM Ryan Poles recently went public with his plan to utilize his scouting staff in helping the club come to a final conclusion on what the Bears will do with their second first-round pick. Here's the quote, from Poles himself:
"We're going to do some cool things when we get back, kind of break into teams. One team is going to talk about [why] the tackle position is the best to go after, [why] the receiver's the best, [why] the defensive end's the best and use factual information to spit that out -- and we'll have a debate in terms of what's more impactful for our football team, short term and long term."
Rarely do we get a peek behind the proverbial curtain as to how a team prepares for the draft, but Poles offers that here. Very cool. Poles also mentioned that he likes the talent that should be available at No. 9 overall, and head coach Matt Eberflus added, "In order to have good communication, it's got to be authentic and it's got to be true, and you have to be able to speak your opinion." I wonder if after the pick is made, the Bears eventually make it known which scouting "team" presented the best argument to lead to the selection.
Because I'm not featuring a specific 'With the First Pick' episode today, here's convenient link to the podcast's archive for your perusal. Our resident GM Rick Spielman and host/analyst Ryan Wilson will be pumping out episodes all month leading into the draft.
3. Prospect of the day 📈: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
I've been perplexed by Fashanu's apparent reputation in NFL circles. Based on what I've gathered, he's not seen in as high regard as the likes of a few other offensive tackle prospects and is more frequently found in the middle of the first round -- or later -- of mock drafts.
And I'm perplexed because everyone was stunned when Fashanu decided to return to the Nittany Lions program after a ridiculous 2022 when he allowed seven pressures on 299 pass-blocking snaps while demonstrating freaky athletic gifts and an already Herculean frame that has room to add more strength. Then, in 2023, Fashanu surrendered 10 pressures on 382 pass-blocking snaps, and, somehow, his stock supposedly sunk. I didn't see any dip on film. This is a long, chiseled, future NFL All-Pro I'd pick before any other offensive tackle in this class.
- Notable combine results: 5.11 in the 40-yard dash (79th percentile), 32-inch vertical (88th %), 9-foot-1 broad (79th %)
- Combine measurements: 6-foot-6, 312 pounds with 34-inch arms
- Current CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 5 overall
4. Texans' seven-round mock draft 👀
NFL staffer Jordan Dajani attempted to map out a perfect plan for Houston's eight selections in this year's draft, and, of course, it's now centered around building complements to C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., the reigning Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year. Jordan prioritized size with two of the largest, most imposing trench players on either side of the ball in Round 2 for the Texans and stayed with that theme, picking Oregon's enormous cornerback Khyree Jackson in the fourth round.
5. News & Notes 📝
- Chiefs signing Carson Wentz. The former No. 2 overall pick was on the Rams late in the 2023 season -- and actually threw two touchdown passes in the regular-season finale. He's now set to be Patrick Mahomes' backup.
- Josh Dobbs reveals why he signed with 49ers. Dobbs has become the quintessential journeyman, and San Francisco will be his fifth team in what will be his seventh professional season. Given the success quarterbacks have had under Kyle Shanahan, who would blame him for inking a deal with the 49ers?
- J.K. Dobbins visiting two AFC East rivals. The former second-round running back, who's suffered through so many injuries but is now medically cleared, made stops in Los Angeles with to meet with the Chargers and Kansas City for a visit to Chiefs headquarters.
