2024 Official Super Duper Mock Draft Thread - Opinions On Mocks | Pundit Mocks

[Boltnut]

not sure it's so much Jeremiah, as he says in his mocks he's largely going by what he hears around the League, and.... it has been reported that Joe Douglas covets Fuaga and that Minny has its sights set on Byron Murphy ?? fair game @5 me thinx, or.... you prefer Alt ??

Jeremiah also shares that his top 50 is more where he slots guys based more on his own opinions.... ??

I could see Fuaga going early. Byron Murphy (although good) seems high before #15. Dexter Lawrence (who I think better) went @#17.
In any case, I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to player/position.

3 QB's
3 WR's
3 OT's
1 TE
2 CB's
2 DE's

#11 doesn't bother me at all.

[Fouts2herbert]

I'd love that trade! Doesn't it seem a little one-sided, though?
The #5 is worth 1700 points. The #11 plus the #42 pick alone are worth 1730 points.

The Vikings do have a second 4th round pick (#130) that's worth 42 points. If I'm greedy, #11, #42, and #130 would be a great haul!

#11 RT Fuaga
#42 OC Van Pran
#130 TE Holker

#37 DT Byron Murphy
#69 LB Junior Colson
#106 RB Audric Estime

Hell yes!

I don't think the trade chart will matter if the Vikings target a QB...look at the history of teams desperate to get "their" QB...and all bets are off if a bidding war starts over the 5th pick...it's not inconceivable that the Vikings would do something like that...GB has once again found their franchise QB...Chicago has something in Fields already and even has the luxury to reset with Caleb Williams if they chose...Detroit has reignited Goffs career and they seem happy with him, they all have a better QB situation than the Vikings in that division...

IDK why but to me it seems #11 is the lowest spot that Hortiz would be willing to go without putting himself out of position to draft a player in his cluster, my thinking is that it'll end up being his highest rated corner or perhaps the best available IDL or OT...and there is still a chance that Bowers could be available at #11 too...

I like your Holker projection, he just seems like the type of guy Jim would want as one of his TEs, in many of my mocks I take Bowers in the 1st and Holker in the 5th round...

[Fouts2herbert]

not sure it's so much Jeremiah, as he says in his mocks he's largely going by what he hears around the League, and.... it has been reported that Joe Douglas covets Fuaga and that Minny has its sights set on Byron Murphy ?? fair game @5 me thinx, or.... you prefer Alt ??

Jeremiah also shares that his top 50 is more where he slots guys based more on his own opinions.... ??

that would mean that the vikings are sticking with cousins...

[Kylars]

Screenshot_20240203-202445-787.png

Love Sweat an Sinnott where you got em.

But 3 TEs and 2 RBs? Our secondary is swiss cheese.

[Boltnut]

I don't think the trade chart will matter if the Vikings target a QB...look at the history of teams desperate to get "their" QB...and all bets are off if a bidding war starts over the 5th pick...it's not inconceivable that the Vikings would do something like that...GB has once again found their franchise QB...Chicago has something in Fields already and even has the luxury to reset with Caleb Williams if they chose...Detroit has reignited Goffs career and they seem happy with him, they all have a better QB situation than the Vikings in that division...

IDK why but to me it seems #11 is the lowest spot that Hortiz would be willing to go without putting himself out of position to draft a player in his cluster, my thinking is that it'll end up being his highest rated corner or perhaps the best available IDL or OT...and there is still a chance that Bowers could be available at #11 too...

I like your Holker projection, he just seems like the type of guy Jim would want as one of his TEs, in many of my mocks I take Bowers in the 1st and Holker in the 5th round...

All really good points. The more we can get with a trade back, the better.
Vikings will have to keep pace with the rest of the NFC North. With Cousins a free agent, the opportunity is now.
The Vikings have been pass-centric with Cousins there. Maybe it's time for them to become more balanced.
They have the OL talent to protect a young QB and run the ball better.
If the Chargers want to force a trade back with Falcons or Jets, they must enter a conversation with the Vikings, as well.
Make those teams compete for the #5 spot if they want to get the best trade available.

You're right, Bowers could still be there @#11. The teams @#6-10 have bigger needs than TE.

[Boltnut]

Love Sweat an Sinnott where you got em.

But 3 TEs and 2 RBs? Our secondary is swiss cheese.

The secondary needs to be addressed. 100%. @#11, there should be a quality CB there.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

The secondary needs to be addressed. 100%. @#11, there should be a quality CB there.

And if there's not, it's because an elite quality prospect at a different position slipped. (Most likely a WR, because that's where this draft class has depth in elite talent.)

That player could easily play a position of less-urgent need than CB, but IMO, you (1) take elite players when you can get them, or (2) trade the pick to a team who's in much higher need of a player at that position.

Particularly because the Chargers by necessity will be signing a lot of players to cheap, first year contracts this year (whether it's draft s********s, or UDFAs) additional draft capital is more important than usual. So it seems especially judicious to trade down for some extra picks.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Love Sweat an Sinnott where you got em.

But 3 TEs and 2 RBs? Our secondary is swiss cheese.

Say one thing, if you want to run the ball with a nasty o line those first 2 picks are perfect. Fuoga and JPJ are the 2 lineman in this draft i would love the most. Fit our needs perfectly, the best center and best natural right tackle, both bring the attitude we need.

[Critty]

Love Sweat an Sinnott where you got em.

But 3 TEs and 2 RBs? Our secondary is swiss cheese.

Can't do everything in just 1 draft.

James, Gilman, Samuel Jr. They have some players.
There are dozens of veteran UFA CBs who can be had at a discount. 1 or 2 year cheap contracts.

Maybe a trade of Joey Bosa can net a CB in return.
If they can drive the ball for scores on offense.
Play with a lead. Should help the defense rest and get after it.

And if you add UFA veterans at CB, you should be fine for 2024 season if the draft doesn't net any good CBs.

[DerwinBosa]

Went with the trade back option several times in this mock.

• My S********s
• 17
  
  Taliese Fuaga
  OT | Oregon State
  TRADE
• 44
  
  Kris Jenkins
  DL | Michigan
  TRADE
• 77
  
  Edgerrin Cooper
  LB | Texas A&M
  TRADE
• 91
  
  Cooper Beebe
  IOL | Kansas State
  TRADE
• 108
  
  Cade Stover
  TE | Ohio State
  TRADE
• 112
  
  Audric Estime
  RB | Notre Dame
  TRADE
• 114
  
  Michael Pratt
  QB | Tulane
  TRADE
• 146
  
  MarShawn Lloyd
  RB | USC
  TRADE
• 153
  
  Sione Vaki
  S | Utah
  TRADE
• 155
  
  Matt Goncalves
  OT | Pittsburgh
  TRADE
• 182
  
  Chau Smith-Wade
  CB | Washington State
• 189
  
  Luke McCaffrey
  WR | Rice
  TRADE
• 217
  
  Jalyx Hunt
  EDGE | Houston Baptist
  TRADE
• 222
  
  Jarrian Jones
  CB | Florida State
• 224
  
  A.J. Barner
  TE | Michigan
  TRADE
• 255
  
  Eric Watts
  EDGE | UConn

It was hard to pass on Alt and Latu, but I received the following picks in 2025 through all of the trades I made:

a. Tennessee Titans' first- and second-rounder.
b. Jacksonville Jaguars' third-, fourth-, and seventh-rounders.
c. Los Angeles Rams' fourth-rounder.
d. Minnesota Vikings' sixth-rounder.
e. Raiders' seventh rounder.

That would set up our 2025 Draft to have two first-rounders, two second-rounders, two third-rounders, three fourth-rounders, two sixth-rounders, and three seventh-rounders. Unrealistic, I know, but it's something to think about with the situation we're in. If Horitz can move back multiple times to set up our 2025 Draft with multiple picks in each of the first two rounds I'm all for it. It's what Belichick and Polian started doing in the 2003 NFL Draft, when they traded the 19th overall pick for the Ravens' second-rounder and 2004 first-round pick. The Ravens picked Kyle Boller, and the Patriots turned those picks into Eugene Wilson and Vince Wilfork. Bill Walsh's 1986 Draft was legendary after all of the trading down he did, and Jimmy Johnson was notorious for trading back, as well.

Johnson's quote: "I never ever felt like this old take the best player available was what I wanted to do. I wanted to take the player that I wanted. And if that pick was too high, I wanted to trade down to a position where he should be picked."

The downside of this is what happened to the New York Giants in 2021. They were in a position to draft Micah Parsons or Rashawn Slater, but traded the 11th overall pick to the Chicago Bears to move down to 20 and get the Bears' 2022 first-round pick. The Giants turned those picks into Kadarius Toney (who's now wearing out his welcome with the Chiefs) and Evan Neal (who hasn't played well in his first two years).

https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/04/23/the-genius-at-work-bill-walsh-built-the-san-francisco-49ers-through-brilliant-trading-and-drafting-and-the-1986-draft-was-his-masterpiece

There are two approaches to the draft, and they both will be evident at this weekend's player auction. Most teams take the best available player on their list, making minor adjustments for needy positions. Other teams target players they want and then maneuver into position during the draft to take them. Under Walsh, the 49ers were one of the latter.

[Fouts2herbert]

All really good points. The more we can get with a trade back, the better.
Vikings will have to keep pace with the rest of the NFC North. With Cousins a free agent, the opportunity is now.
The Vikings have been pass-centric with Cousins there. Maybe it's time for them to become more balanced.
They have the OL talent to protect a young QB and run the ball better.
If the Chargers want to force a trade back with Falcons or Jets, they must enter a conversation with the Vikings, as well.
Make those teams compete for the #5 spot if they want to get the best trade available.

You're right, Bowers could still be there @#11. The teams @#6-10 have bigger needs than TE.

I think giants and falcons are looking to go QB @ 6 and 8 respectively...the titans will go O-line @ 7...the bears will decide what to do at QB higher in the top 1-3 picks and @ 9 they will probably be addressing O-line as well..the jets @10 will most definitely go O-line and I can't imagine them not doing that as they are almost guaranteed a top notch guy in this draft at OT even at pick ten...

so yeah, I think the sweet spot to pick up bowers or one of the best CBs available is probably @ 11, folks will be pissed if they pass on nabers or odunze but they'll get over it once they see the haul of picks that they would get outta making that deal with the Vikings...

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

so yeah, I think the sweet spot to pick up bowers or one of the best CBs available is probably @ 11, folks will be pissed if they pass on nabers or odunze but they'll get over it once they see the haul of picks that they would get outta making that deal with the Vikings...

Exactly right. Whomever is in charge will not trade down far enough to eliminate the chance to get an elite player.