Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into the 2024 NFL Draft, and man, it’s a rabbit hole! I wanted to get a feel for how things might shake out, so I decided to run my own little mock draft simulation. No fancy software, just good old-fashioned research and some elbow grease.
Getting Started
First, I gathered all the info I could. I scrolled through team needs, prospect rankings, and a bunch of mock drafts from the “experts.” You know, the usual suspects – ESPN, *, Bleacher Report, and some smaller sites too. I wanted to get a wide range of opinions.
Then, I made a simple spreadsheet. Nothing crazy, just team names, draft order, and some key positions they might be targeting. I also jotted down notes about each team’s current roster situation – who’s a free agent, who’s getting old, that kind of stuff.
The “War Room” (aka My Desk)
With my spreadsheet ready, I basically put myself in the shoes of each team’s general manager. Starting with the first pick, I thought, “Okay, if I’m this team, what’s my biggest need? And which prospect best fills that need and is likely to be available at this spot?”
- I started the draft.
- I considered all of the opinions.
- I made picks based on my record.
It was a lot of back-and-forth. Sometimes I debated between two players for like 15 minutes! I kept going back to my notes, checking rankings, and trying to get a feel for what each team might actually do.
For example the team picking first is the Bears,so my pick is:
- Bears:Caleb Williams, QB, USC.
And my second pick is:
- Commanders:Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina.
It’s a whole process, I need to consider a lot of things.
The Results (and the Reality Check)
After a few hours (and a couple of coffee refills), I had a complete first-round mock draft. It’s definitely not perfect – I’m no Mel Kiper Jr.! – but it was a fun exercise. It really gave me a better appreciation for how complicated the draft process is.
Of course, the real draft will be totally different. There will be trades, surprises, and players who go way higher or lower than anyone expected. But that’s what makes it so exciting! This little simulation just made me even more hyped for the real thing.
Now I finished a whole first-round mock draft.