After months of intrigue and the NFL Scouting Combine, the 2024 NFL Draft is just one week away. Teams are finalizing their draft boards as a star-studded crop of NFL talent is set to enter the league. Though fans can likely agree on the players who will likely go in the first round, there's little certainty of what will happen next Thursday after the first two picks.
Here's some of the latest rumors ahead of the draft starting April 25 in Detroit:
2024 NFL Draft rumors: New England "open for business" at No. 3
The New England Patriots sit at No. 3 overall in the first round. The franchise hired new head coach Jerod Mayo in January and Eliot Wolf, director of scouting, is acting as the de-facto general manager after icon Bill Belichick split with the team after a 4-13 season.
Chicago and Washington both seem set to take quarterbacks at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The latter's hosted multiple top quarterback prospects and general manager Adam Peters says the team "feels great about staying at No. 2."
NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.
Things are less certain in New England. Wolf told reporters today that the team is considering potential trades down from the No. 3 pick.
Wolf did backtrack slightly and noted the team's open to staying at No. 3, saying "I think we'd be comfortable with it." New England's hosted Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr. in pre-draft visits leading up to next week, per CBS News.
Tom Curran, Patriots Insider for NBCSports Boston, noted on a podcast with the Minneapolis Star Tribune that New England has so many needs on offense that trading down could be a better option. He added that the franchise has a recent example of a first-round quarterback who struggled with a below-average supporting cast in Mac Jones.
The Minnesota Vikings are a popular team for trade-up scenarios after acquiring the No. 23 overall pick from Houston in a trade earlier this offseason. Wolf said today that the team's yet to receive a trade offer worth losing the No. 3 overall pick.
In-person in Detroit:Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr. among 13 prospects to attend 2024 NFL draft
2024 NFL Draft rumors: Los Angeles Chargers need attractive trade to move down from No. 5
Of the teams drafting in the top five, New England and Los Angeles are two of the most intriguing. Both teams have needs at many positions and don't seem 100% set on a position to draft.
Unlike the Patriots, the Chargers have two of the most important positions on a roster handled: a franchise quarterback (Justin Herbert) and left tackle (Rashawn Slater). After the team traded Keenan Allen to the Bears, wide receiver became a popular pick in mock drafts. But Chargers radio color commentator and NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks Los Angeles may look to trade down.
"I think trade out is the way to go," Jeremiah said on a recent episode of the Bootleg Football podcast. "I would imagine [general manager] Joe Hortiz is praying that that phone rings."
Similarly, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter said on SportsCenter this week that the "Chargers make as much sense as anybody" to trade down out of the top 10.
For now, that's not the messaging in public from the Chargers. Hortiz said in a press conference today that they'll take "the best player available" and won't look at the draft solely based on need. If they were to trade down, Hortiz said he wouldn't be interested in a fair trade.
"They have to make it attractive for us to move away from those players," Hortiz said. "The whole, 'It's a fair trade, it's a wash' -- I don't think that's a trade that we're interested in."
WATCH:Rome Odunze on preparing for the NFL Draft
2024 NFL Draft rumors: The New York Giants considering a quarterback... but not in Round 1?
The New York Giants hold the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a prime position for a difference-maker on offense. USA Today's latest mock draft has them selecting LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.
But at the NFL Annual Meeting in March, Giants owner John Mara said “If [general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll] fall in love with a quarterback and believe it is worth pick number 6 or moving up, I certainly would support that."
New York's met with Maye, Daniels, and McCarthy ahead of the draft. If a move up fails, they may be in line for a quarterback beyond those top prospects. They've also met with Michael Penix Jr. after his pro day and hosted South Carolina's Spencer Rattler.
ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said this week that he doesn't think it's "quarterback or bust" for the Giants in Round 1. With Schoen in charge, Fowler said he's convinced "they're looking not only at potentially moving up but potentially moving back as well. They gave up that second-round pick in that Brian Burns trade and they would love to get that back if they could, too."
How many rounds are in the NFL draft?Basic info to know for 2024 event
2024 NFL Draft rumors: Drake Maye closing gap to Jayden Daniels for No. 2 pick
USC's Caleb Williams is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The latest NFL Draft odds from BetMGM put him at -10000.
For the last month, Daniels has been the betting favorite for the No. 2 selection over Maye. But that's changed within the last 48 hours.
Daniels is still the favorite for the No. 2 pick but his odds are down to -165 at BetMGM. Maye, by comparison, went from +175 on Tuesday to +120 today. Washington general manager Adam Peters looks set to take a quarterback but it's now a tight race between the two prospects, if you look are going by the betting odds.
NFL draft host cities:Where it's been held recently, 2025 location, history
2024 NFL Draft rumors: Texas WR Adonai Mitchell will go higher than expected
Schefter spoke with Adam Levitan of the Establish the Run Podcast this week. Levitan asked him if there's anyone he's hearing will go higher or lower than the current market expects. Schefter singled out Mitchell as his pick to go higher.
"I think he'll go higher than [No. 25-32]," Schefter said. "I think he'll be a one."
USA Today's latest mock draft is in line with Schefter's thinking with Mitchell going No. 23 overall to the Chargers after a trade.
"The consternation regarding the state of the Chargers' receiving corps will only amplify if Harbaugh and Co. trade back to a spot outside of the range of the top three wideouts," USA Today draft expert Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. "In this scenario, however, Los Angeles is able to land a potential go-to target in Mitchell, who should give Justin Herbert the fluid pass catcher he currently lacks."
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
