NFL mock draft 5.0: Detroit Lions go OL at 29; J.J. McCarthy goes to an NFC North squad
One last throw of the darts before things get real for the Detroit Lions and the 2024 NFL draft in downtown Detroit …
No. 1 Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams, USC
No surprise who’s going No. 1 overall.
No. 2 Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
Topgolf seems like a fun way to spend a pre-draft visit.
No. 3 New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
The Patriots could get a haul if they move out of this pick, though owner Robert Kraft seems to want a quarterback.
GROUPTHINK: NFL mock draft roundup: Predictions from all over on Round 1 pick
No. 4 Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Accumulating picks is nice, but eventually the Cardinals have to start acquiring top talent.
No. 5 (via trade) Minnesota Vikings: QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
The Vikings can use their two first-rounders this year and a choice next year to leapfrog the Giants and take McCarthy.
No. 6 New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
If the Giants want to move up a spot for a quarterback, the Los Angeles Chargers would be positioned to nab the draft’s best offensive lineman here.
No. 7 Tennessee Titans: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
This feels like the floor for Alt.
No. 8 Atlanta Falcons: Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama
Rome Odunze is on the board, but the Falcons can’t spend a fourth straight top-10 pick on offensive skill talent.
No. 9 (via trade) Indianapolis Colts: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
The Colts trade up with a Bears team that enters the draft with just two picks after Round 1 to take the last of the top-tier receivers.
No. 10 New York Jets: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
If the Jets are all-in with Aaron Rodgers for 2024, Bowers is their best choice.
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No. 11 (via trade) Los Angeles Chargers: OT JC Latham, Alabama
New coach Jim Harbaugh gets one of the biggest bulldozers in the draft with a pick that originally belonged to the Vikings.
No. 12 Denver Broncos: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
The Broncos wouldn’t take Bo Nix this high, would they?
No. 13 Las Vegas Raiders: OL Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Another quarterback-needy team that passes on the position because of value.
No. 14 New Orleans Saints: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
The Saints have a big-time need at offensive tackle.
No. 15 (via trade) Chicago Bears: Edge Jared Verse, Florida State
Bears move down from No. 9 and still get one of the 10 best players in the draft.
No. 16 Seattle Seahawks: DT Byron Murphy, Texas
Murphy has enough helium that some analysts predict he’ll go top 10.
No. 17 Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
Jaguars get help for a defense that will play C.J. Stroud twice a year for the next decade, at least.
No. 18 Cincinnati Bengals: OL Troy Fautanu, Washington
In a good offensive line class, the Bengals must find someone to help protect Joe Burrow.
No. 19 Los Angeles Rams: Edge Laiatu Latu, UCLA
No idea how the Rams view his medicals, but Latu was the most productive pass rusher in college football the past two years.
No. 20 Pittsburgh Steelers: OL Graham Barton, Duke
Barton to the Steelers is too perfect a fit if he makes it to 20.
No. 21 (via trade) Arizona Cardinals: Edge Chop Robinson, Penn State
The Cardinals have seven of the first 104 picks. They pair one of those with pick No. 27 to go up and get a pass rusher.
No. 22 Philadelphia Eagles: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Howie Roseman almost always drafts an offensive or defensive lineman in Round 1.
No. 23 (via trade) Los Angeles Chargers: WR Brian Thomas, LSU
With the second pick they acquired for moving off No. 5, the Chargers get a new receiver for Justin Herbert.
No. 24 Dallas Cowboys: DT Johnny Newton, Illinois
Micah Parsons gets a new running mate on Dallas’ defensive line.
No. 25 Green Bay Packers: DL Darius Robinson, Missouri
Robinson’s versatility feels like a fit for Green Bay.
No. 26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
DeJean can play cornerback, safety or slot and helps fill the void left by the trade of Carlton Davis to the Lions.
No. 27 (via trade) Miami Dolphins: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
The Dolphins move down six spots and still get starting help for their secondary.
No. 28 Buffalo Bills: WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
Buffalo takes the fastest player in the draft to replace Stefon Diggs.
No. 29 Detroit Lions: OL Zach Frazier, West Virginia
I’m sticking with Frazier here, as his profile screams Lions — though I do think a trade (up or down) could be in the works and Frazier is the type of player Detroit might be able to land early in Round 2. As it stands, the Lions value linemen and have long-term needs Frazier would help fill. Newton, Robinson, DeJean and McKinstry also could be fits, and I also considered Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson and a couple defensive backs I have going in Round 2.
A SIX-PACK OF OPTIONS: Detroit Lions in NFL draft: 6 players who would make sense at 29th pick
No. 30 Baltimore Ravens: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
Mims is a pure developmental play, but the Ravens can afford to bring him along slowly at tackle.
No. 31 San Francisco 49ers: WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina
The last receiver the 49ers drafted from South Carolina — Deebo Samuel — worked out well.
No. 32 (via trade) New York Giants: QB Bo Nix, Oregon
Someone is trading up to get Nix or Washington’s Michael Penix if they’re still on the board late in Round 1. Here the defending world champion Kansas City Chiefs move out for extra draft capital on Day 2.
Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NFL Mock draft: Detroit Lions go OL; Vikings move up for J.J. McCarthy
