-
Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst
Editor’s note: Miller updated his projections at Nos. 11 and 13 at 12:45 p.m. ET on Thursday.
We’re closing in on the start of the 2024 NFL draft, so I’m running through all 32 first-round picks one last time with my final mock draft for this class. I think we all know what the Bears will do at No. 1 on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC) — Caleb Williams can change things in Chicago — but things quickly get interesting after that.
I locked in my final rankings for this class last week, but mock drafts aren’t about what I see on tape — they are about what we believe each team will do when it is on the clock. So I’ve been making calls and firing off text messages to sources around the league to gather the latest intel and project each selection. Of course, there are always surprises, and one unexpected trade could throw off the whole board, but I ended up with five quarterbacks and plenty of future stars here in Round 1. I also projected two of those aforementioned trades to shake things up. But let’s get started with Chicago.
See Miller’s final rankings (ESPN+)
Caleb Williams, QB, USC
There will be no drama at the top of this draft — I fully expect the Bears to take Williams, the best player in the class. He is the only quarterback Chicago met with privately during the pre-draft process, which speaks to the team’s intentions. Williams’ combination of arm strength, playmaking and the way he elevates the talent around him makes him an easy pick for the Bears.
