2024 NFL draft: 6 QBs selected in trade-heavy March Madness mock

With the waves of free agency finally receding, NFL teams now look toward the 2024 NFL draft.

While free agency was the place to shore up serious needs, the draft is where teams can find their next foundational piece and build their team from the ground-up. Many different positions will be taken in the first round, but the quarterbacks will be under the biggest microscope in the month leading up to the draft.

Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and even J.J. McCarthy could all be first-round selections. The allure of a new franchise quarterback could force some teams to trade up. Our two previous mock drafts didn’t include trades that weren’t original – but this one does. A lot of ’em.

They don’t call this time of year March Madness for nothing.

The Houston Texans don’t currently have a first-round pick, though, after the team traded the No. 23 selection to the Minnesota Vikings for two second-round picks. We’ll see if general manager Nick Caserio and company remain there when all is said and done on draft night.

Here’s Texans Wire’s post-post free agency mock draft, featuring a bevy of trades and quarterbacks.

(Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports)

Justin Fields is gone, which means the Bears can submit their draft card more than a month in advance. Caleb Williams is the top quarterback prospect in this class and Chicago will already have a solid infrastructure around him with wideouts D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen plus running back D’Andre Swift.

(Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

Here. We. Go. The Vikings go up and get their quarterback in a blockbuster trade for the Commanders’ No. 2 overall pick. Minnesota gave up Nos. 11 and 23 as well as a 2025 first-round pick for Washington’s first-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick. The Vikings get their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye to compete with Sam Darnold.

(Patrick Breen/The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK)

The Patriots get in on the quarterback war and let the Broncos move up nine spots to grade J.J. McCarthy. While New England could use a young quarterback, they’ll be fine with veteran Jacoby Brissett. What the Patriots really need are more draft capital and offensive weapons. So the Broncos trade the No. 12 pick, a 2025 first-round pick and wide receiver Courtland Sutton to get McCarthy for head coach Sean Payton.

(Matthew Dobbins-USA TODAY Sports)

The madness…