2024 NFL mock draft Round 2: Every pick among best available to start Day 2
Who are the best available players in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft?
The first round was a quarterback frenzy. A league-record six QBs were taken in the first 12 picks, and 23 of 32 first-rounders were offensive players.
While there aren’t as many big-time stars left on the board, the second round can be fruitful.
Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas wasn’t drafted until No. 40 overall by the Bills in 1988. Brett Favre was the Atlanta Falcons’ 33rd overall pick in 1991, and although he was traded to Green Bay the following year, everything worked out for Favre and the Packers. In 2006, Maurice Jones-Drew lasted all the way to No. 60 before the Jacksonville Jaguars picked him and he became a Pro Bowl selection.
Here’s an NFL mock second-round draft for Friday.
NFL mock draft Round 2: Best available players
33. Buffalo Bills (from Carolina)
Player: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
The rationale: The Bills puzzled pretty much everyone by trading from No. 28 to No. 32 (Chiefs) and then from No. 32 to No. 33 with the Panthers, but they’ll end up with Mitchell, a Cane Ridge High graduate and the guy they might have wanted all along anyway.
More: Buffalo Bills draft picks 2024: See the list of where they pick each round
34. New England Patriots
Player: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
The rationale: New England has UNC’s Drake Maye as the quarterback of the future. The next step is to keep building up front, because signing free agent Chukwuma Okorafor from Pittsburgh wasn’t enough. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Fisher ranked as the 14th-best tackle at the combine.
35. Arizona Cardinals
Player: Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
The rationale: It would be hard to pass on the best safety available. Bullard was the top-ranked safety at the combine. He’s a hard-hitter who doesn’t sacrifice coverage skills.
36. Washington Commanders
Player: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington
The rationale: The Commanders took LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick, so it makes sense to protect him, especially after releasing veteran tackle Charles Leno. Rosengarten played right tackle as the blindside protector for left-handed Michael Penix Jr. and helped Washington win the Joe Moore Award for college football’s best offensive line.
37. Los Angeles Chargers
Player: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
The rationale: Jim Harbaugh built upon the Chargers’ offensive line by picking Joe Alt in the first round. Now it’s time to grab McConkey, who ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine and can break down a secondary.
38. Tennessee Titans
Player: Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
The rationale: The Titans need depth at this position and Newton was the No. 2 ranked defensive tackle at the combine. He was a first-team Associated Press All-American and the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season.
39. Carolina Panthers (from N.Y. Giants)
Player: Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan
The rationale: The Commanders sorely need defensive help. They ranked No. 26 in sacks and were last in total defense and pass defense. Kneeland is an athletic playmaker, with 4.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 57 tackles in 10 games.
40. Washington Commanders (from Chicago)
Player: Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
Rationale: The Commanders can pad their protection and get a pass-catcher. The 6-4, 245-pound Sanders caught 45 passes for 682 yards (15.2 ypc) and two touchdowns last season.
41. Green Bay Packers (from N.Y. Jets)
Player: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
The rationale: DeJean can’t slip much lower than this and the Packers could use a cornerback. DeJean intercepted five passes in 2022 and returned three for touchdowns. He also had a punt return for a TD in 2023.
More: 2024 NFL draft first round picks: Every selection from first day of draft
42. Houston Texans (from Minnesota)
Player: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
The rationale: You can’t go wrong with a Nick Saban-coached defensive back. McKinstry had 20 PBUs over the past two seasons and was a first-team Associated Press All-American in 2023-24.
43. Atlanta Falcons
Player: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama
The rationale: The Falcons threw everyone for a loop by selecting Michael Penix Jr., but Braswell can provide immediate help on defense. He had a career-high 8.5 sacks and forced three fumbles in 2023.
44. Las Vegas Raiders
Player: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
The rationale: Trading Amik Robertson left a hole here. Rakestraw is physical despite being 5-11, 183 pounds. He had 35 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 4 PBUs and a forced fumble last season despite missing four games with a groin injury.
45. New Orleans Saints (from Denver)
Player: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
The rationale: The Saints took Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga in the first round, but their depth issues create a need for one more blocker. Suamataia was a five-star prospect out of high school and one of the top 10 tackles at the combine.
46. Indianapolis Colts
Player: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
The rationale: The Colts need a lockdown corner. Lassiter can be that guy, even though he had just one interception in 44 games with Georgia. He did have eight pass breakups last season.
47. New York Giants (from Seattle)
Player: Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
The rationale: The Giants passed on getting a quarterback, and it seems unlikely they’ll find their future QB here. Nubin can support rookie cornerbacks Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III.
48. Jacksonville Jaguars
Player: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
The rationale: The Jags had to cut Darious Williams to make salary cap room, so cornerback is a glaring hole.
49. Cincinnati Bengals
Player: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
The rationale: The Bengals got the offensive tackle they need. Now it’s time for a cornerback, and Melton will be the best available.
50. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)
Player: Cole Bishop, S, Utah
The rationale: The secondary has been an issue and Bishop will be a good complement to first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell, the cornerback from Toledo.
51. Pittsburgh Steelers
Player: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
The rationale: There just isn’t a lot of receiving power on the roster right now. Coleman’s name had been thrown around as a potential first-rounder.
52. Los Angeles Rams
Player: Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State
The rationale: With Aaron Donald’s retirement this is a glaring hole. Fiske was an AP third-team All-American in his only season at Florida State.
53. Philadelphia Eagles
Player: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
The rationale: With their secondary reloaded with two picks, it’s time for the Eagles to go after the next best overall player in the draft, and that’s Cooper.
54. Cleveland Browns
Player: Matt Goncalves, OT, Pittsburgh
The rationale: With starting left tackle Jedrick Wills entering the last year of his deal, this is an obvious place to go.
55. Miami Dolphins
Player:Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
The rationale: The Dolphins have a ton of needs, so pick one. Colson, a Ravenwood High graduate, was arguably the top defender on Michigan’s national championship team.
56. Dallas Cowboys
Player: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
The rationale: Ezekiel Elliott left a year ago and his replacement, Tony Pollard, is already gone. The Cowboys need another player in this room.
More: 'They gave Kirk Cousins $180M': Social media reacts to Atlanta drafting Michael Penix Jr.
57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Player: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
The rationale: A hole opened up with Carlton Davis’ trade to Detroit. Sainristil tied for second in the FBS with six interceptions in 2023.
58. Green Bay Packers
Player: Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
The rationale: The Packers need another safety even after signing Xavier McKinney, and Hicks is one of the top five left on the board.
59. Houston Texans
Player: Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan
The rationale: This is a big need with Sheldon Rankins, Maliek Collins and Teair Tart gone from last year. Jenkins is a great holdover from an offense-heavy first round.
60. Buffalo Bills
Player: Calen Bullock, S, USC
The rationale: The Bills needed secondary help and are another beneficiary of so many offensive players getting drafted early. That gives them Bullock, one of the top defenders left.
61. Detroit Lions
Player: Jalyx Hunt, EDGE, Houston Christian
The rationale: The Lions will be thrilled to get one of the top 10 edge-rushers in the entire draft.
More: Chicago Bears pick USC QB Caleb Williams in Round 1 of 2024 NFL draft. What to know
62. Baltimore Ravens
Player: Christian Jones, OT, Texas
The rationale: The Ravens severely lack depth here, and Jones gives them someone who started 48 games in college.
63. San Francisco 49ers
Player: Christian Haynes, OG, UConn
The rationale: No teams have targeted anyone at this position, leaving the 49ers with the top offensive guard in the draft.
64. Kansas City Chiefs
Player: Dominick Puni, OT, Kansas
The rationale: The Chiefs keep building around Patrick Mahomes up front with a blocker who played left guard and left tackle in college.
Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NFL mock draft Day 2: Picks, best available for Round 2 of 2024 draft
