Buzz for the first round is led by quarterbacks following a weekend of actions.

The current first round of the CBS Sports 2024 NFL Mock Draft highlights a wave of weekend quarterback movements that heightens the hype. After sending Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears dealt Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for draft compensation. This allowed the Steelers to make room for Fields opposite Russell Wilson.

And after trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New England Patriots set the stage for a rookie. It appears that first-year coach Jerod Mayo and the team are adamant about selecting a signal caller at No. 3 overall.

The two greatest quarterbacks available this cycle, Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield, have signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons, respectively, and are no longer available. It follows that the Minnesota Vikings, who signed veteran quarterback Sam Darnold, ought to start looking for a quarterback on Day 1.

After multiple quarterback trades, take a peek at the most recent CBS Sports first-round 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

CHICAGO BEARS: CALEB WILLIAMS, QB, USC

Caleb Williams needs to step up and save the Bears now that they parted ways with Fields and got virtually little in exchange. But don’t ask Deion Sanders what he thinks about the circumstances. Williams was urged by the Colorado coach to play somewhere other than in the bitter cold and to turn his back on Chicago. Williams stated last month that he has no preference for where he is chosen and that he is eager to begin at the next level.

One of the most talented players this cycle stated that Chicago would be a good fit recently, despite earlier claims that Williams wanted to play for a certain team, notably in Washington with former USC analyst Kliff Kingsbury.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS: JAYDEN DANIELS, QB, LSU

Sam Howell had moments of brilliance, but the Commanders are now without a franchise quarterback after Washington traded him to the Seattle Seahawks. Here’s where Jayden Daniels, the LSU Heisman winner, comes into play. It’s thought that when Williams joins the Bears, Washington will select the next best signal caller available. Daniels concluded the season with 1,134 yards gained on the ground, 10 touchdowns, and 3,812 yards passing.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (MOCK TRADE WITH PATRIOTS): DRAKE MAYE, QB, UNC

Without a question, the Vikings will select a quarterback in this draft when Cousins retires, but who will it be? After a deal with the Patriots, who plan to choose a player at the same position after trading Jones to Jacksonville, Minnesota rises to No. 3 in the latest mock draft by CBS Sports. Drake Maye, who finished with 63 touchdown passes and over 8,000 yards of passing, holds several Tar Heel career records. Despite his decision, like Williams and Daniels, to forego throwing and taking part in on-field drills at the combine, the majority of evaluators still see him as a surefire top-five pick.

ARIZONA CARDINALS: MARVIN HARRISON JR., WR, OHIO STATE

Without a doubt, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., who would probably go No. 1 overall if that slot wasn’t so frequently held by a quarterback, is the most gifted non-quarterback prospect. Harrison is not just a field stretcher with a stellar pedigree, but he also pays attention to detail and dominates opponents with his size and quickness. If he keeps becoming an outstanding player, there’s a potential he could surpass his gifted father at the highest level. In the event that Chicago trades its first pick, the Bears should anticipate selecting Harrison in place of a signal caller.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: MALIK NABERS, WR, LSU

Similar to Harrison, Malik Nabers has the ideal skill set to succeed right away at the next level, making him a big play waiting to happen. In terms of more playmakers, New York needs all the assistance it can get, and Nabers will be a plug-and-play standout on a much higher level. Nabers had a fantastic season as Jayden Daniels’ main target, coming up just short of taking home the Biletnikoff. He not only has excellent hands and route running skills, but once he catches the football, he can be quite dangerous to bring down.

NEW YORK GIANTS: J.J. MCCARTHY, QB, MICHIGAN

Since helping Michigan win its first national championship since 1997 by finishing the season with victories over Ohio State, Iowa, Alabama, and Washington, J.J. McCarthy’s reputation has grown significantly. He meets the criteria that teams look for in the top five because he is agile and has a powerful arm. The former Michigan standout is selected by New York at No. 6 overall in our revised mock draft, making him the fourth quarterback selected in the first round.

TENNESSEE TITANS: JOE ALT, OL, NOTRE DAME

Last season, Joe Alt proved to be Notre Dame’s most reliable player, finishing among the country’s most consistent offensive linemen. In his last game with the Fighting Irish, Alt set the stage for Doak Walker finalist Audric Estime to have his best rushing performance of his career, a remarkable play that virtually guaranteed top-10 billing. Sam Hartman was also kept upright by Alt during the season. Alt is a man you can feel comfortable offering a long-term deal to right away. Whether it’s Alt, Amarius Mims, or Olu Fashanu, depending on whatever option is available to them, the Titans are expected to need offensive line support.

ATLANTA FALCONS: DALLAS TURNER, EDGE, ALABAMA

In light of the anticipated swift turnaround following the signing of Cousins, Atlanta must ensure that this is the best choice. Turner, who won SEC Defensive Player of the Year after being a freshman All-American at Alabama, is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, and has the physical attributes of a player you want to see in the first round of the draft. With 13.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks, he set career highs. Turner’s strength is his speed and athleticism; Alabama allowed him to play a variety of roles as a hybrid defender. He can easily elude double teams and is a future three-down danger in the NFL.

CHICAGO BEARS: JARED VERSE, DE, FLORIDA STATE

Remarks Noles247, Jared Verse followed his on-field output from the last few FSU seasons with one of the finest NFL Combine performances of the edge class. His position as a top-15 draft pick is all but certain because to the combination of tape and testing. The Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears are both in need of defensive line support, and Verse and Dallas Turner of Alabama are the front-runners for the position of first-round nasty edge defender.

NEW YORK JETS: TALIESE FUAGA, OT, OREGON STATE

Fuaga is 6 feet 6 inches, 332 pounds, and has a huge wingspan. During his college career, he was one of the most trustworthy players in the Power Five ranks at the line of scrimmage and hardly gave up a sack. Given that Aaron Rodgers will be back for the entire 2020–21 season, the Jets may choose to use one of these elite tackle prospects as an immediate offensive upgrade. Another possible option here for New York is Olu Fashanu, who most experts predict would select the finest offensive tackle available at this position.

New England Patriots (mock trade with Vikings): Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Denver Broncos: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Las Vegas Raiders: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

New Orleans Saints: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

For top billing, Odunze competes against a number of outstanding wideouts, such as Harrison and Nabers. Last season, Odunze became the only college football receiver to truly perfect the back-shoulder reception and produce in the red zone. His exceptional hands and route-running skills gave defensive coordinators fits. Three wideouts have the ability to rank in the top 10. It wouldn’t be shocking if he beats Nabers, but it doesn’t seem like any elite target will be captured before Harrison.

Perhaps in part because he had some of the tiniest hands of any player his size at the combine, Fashanu isn’t in the top 10 this time around. Fashanu fulfills the description of a cornerstone tackle that many teams could deploy to shield their quarterback. He might have been selected in the first round of the 2023 draft, but he opted to play one more season for the Nittany Lions in an attempt to win a Big Ten title.

Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas

Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

Cincinnati Bengals: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

Los Angeles Rams: Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois

Pittsburgh Steelers: Jackson Powers-Johnson, OL

Will Arnold be the first CB off the board in this cycle? Most insiders believe it’s him, Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo, or former Alabama teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry. After the Rose Bowl, Arnold reportedly stated, “We’ve got unfinished business,” which sparked rumors of a possible comeback to the Crimson Tide, according to Bama247. Arnold never explicitly stated he would return in 2024, despite a widely shared social media image suggesting he would, and considering his stock, he made the right decision.

Miami Dolphins: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

New England Patriots (mock trade with Chargers): Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

Dallas Cowboys: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Green Bay Packers: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

That’s right — New England trades down to select a quarterback from Washington later in the first round rather than selecting one at No. 3 overall. For Kalen DeBoer and the Huskies last season, Penix was outstanding, leading them to Heisman candidate status and a trip to the College Football Playoffs.

Mims has often been ranked in the top 10 coming out of the NFL Combine, but not here. A right lineman who was selected to the preseason All-SEC First Team, he only played in seven games the previous season due to an ankle injury sustained in the conference opener versus South Carolina, which necessitated surgery and left him missing six games. According to Dawgs247, Mims started the game against Ole Miss but left early in the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama due to a re-injured ankle. As a result, Georgia had to reorganize its offensive line. Part of the reason Mims isn’t a top 10 projection is injuries.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Arizona Cardinals: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Buffalo Bills: Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State

Detroit Lions: Graham Barton, OT, Duke

During his junior year, Robinson earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition, capping his Penn State career. Throughout 10 games, Robinson recorded 12 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one pass breakup, five quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles. Due to an injury, he missed two games and a portion of a third. Robinson would be a valuable addition right away for Tampa Bay, which needs assistance with its pass rush.

Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

San Francisco 49ers: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

Kansas City Chiefs: Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri

DeJean was one of the country’s best returners and lockdown cornerbacks, according to Hawkeye Insider. Despite missing the last four games of his career due to an injury sustained during practice, he was voted unanimously an All-American. Having skipped the combine, DeJean concluded the season with 10 games played, 41 tackles, two TFL, two interceptions, and five pass break-ups. DeJean covered 388 snaps in 2023 without allowing a touchdown pass. This season, he is second on the Hawkeyes in interceptions (2), seventh in tackles (41) and second in pass break-ups (5).