2024 NFL Draft: Ideal first-round picks for NFC East teams

National Football League

Published Feb. 26, 2024 2:14 p.m. ET

The NFL Draft might be two months away, but draft season gets serious this week as the NFL convenes in Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine. It’ll be the first time NFL teams get a real, up-close look at the top prospects.

Of course, by now it’s not hard to figure out which group of prospects each of the four NFC East teams will be looking at in Indy. They all have some pretty obvious needs at the moment and surely already have their eyes on some players who could be a match.

Those needs might change when free agency opens in two weeks, and players still have plenty of time to rise up or fall down the draft boards of individual teams. But for now, here’s a first look at where each of the four NFC East teams might go with their first-round picks:

Washington Commanders (No. 2 overall) — North Carolina QB Drake Maye

There is a lot of speculation that Washington’s new offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, wants USC’s Caleb Williams — which makes sense since Kingsbury spent last season coaching Williams as a senior offensive analyst at USC. But it’s not their choice to make. They’ll get to choose from whoever is left after a quarterback is taken No. 1.

And don’t expect them to pay what could be an enormous bounty to trade up. For one thing, the Bears might — and probably will — take a quarterback at No. 1. And if they don’t, they can get a heck of a lot more from teams that want to trade up for a quarterback from behind the Commanders in the draft order. Because of the number of teams that might want to move, it could cost a fortune to even move up just one spot.

Besides, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Maye isn’t exactly a consolation prize. It’s early in the process, but it’s easy to find plenty of scouts who prefer Maye over Williams. Maye is bigger (four inches taller than Williams) and considered by most to be more polished and ready to succeed in the pros. He’s also pretty mobile — a necessity in today’s game. He rushed for nearly 1,200 yards in his two seasons as a starter for the Tar Heels.

The Commanders would be fine with either one. Both would be an upgrade over Sam Howell, who might have a bright future but doesn’t bring the upside of Williams or Maye. They’re in the perfect spot to just sit tight and take whichever franchise quarterback falls into their lap.

Caleb Williams, Drake Maye among Joel Klatt’s top-5 QBs in NFL Draft

New York Giants (No. 6 overall) — LSU WR Malik Nabers

Yes, there is a chance that the Giants will take a quarterback at No. 6, though at the moment I don’t believe it’s a good chance. I think it’s much more likely they take a quarterback in the second round if they’re beginning to plan for the post-Daniel Jones era.

Besides, if they want to win sooner than later they need to get whoever is their quarterback some help. And the two glaring areas where they need upgrades are receiver and offensive line. A tackle here wouldn’t be a shocker, especially if they’re OK with moving the disappointing Evan Neal inside to guard.

But they can’t go into another season with their same, low-impact group of second- and third-receivers. They need a true No. 1 — the kind of impact receiver they haven’t had since they traded away Odell Beckham. And they can get that in this latest LSU product. The 6-foot-1, 188-pounde Nabers had 89 catches, 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games last season. He’s a game breaker, and he’s done it against some of the best defenses in the college ranks.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah described him as a “stick of dynamite” and said he’s “super, super explosive.” One NFL scout told FOX Sports he might be the second or third-best player in the entire draft. He’s the kind of pick the Giants need to make if they plan to compete for the playoffs next season.

Malik Nabers among Joel Klatt’s top pass catchers in NFL Draft

Philadelphia Eagles (No. 22 overall) — Iowa CB/S Cooper DeJean

The Eagles need a complete defensive overhaul, so what happens in free agency will likely determine which way they go in the draft. But one thing is certain — the scheme that new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio runs is reliant on two really good safeties. That’s something the Eagles don’t really have.

They will probably try to bolster that in free agency, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pound DeJean could be the playmaker they need back there. He’s got seven interceptions the last two seasons and he’s a solid tackler who can play closer to the line of scrimmage, if necessary, too.

Actually, he can play anywhere. There are scouts who see him at either safety spot, some who think he’s a slot corner and others who think he’s an outside corner. He’s played them all, and played them all well. So the Eagles — who need to rebuild their entire secondary, really — could plug him in wherever they want and have him learn multiple positions, too.

Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr. among RJ Young’s top-5 players in NFL Draft

Dallas Cowboys (No. 24 overall) — Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

Left tackle Tyron Smith is a free agent, and even if the Cowboys decide to re-sign him — which they absolutely should — he’s still 33 years old. So they need to start to come up with a plan for the future. And drafting this 6-foot-7, 328-pounder would be a heck of a plan.

If they do that, conceivably they could let Tyron Smith go and either start Guyton at left tackle or move their 2022 first-rounder — Tyler Smith, a second-team All Pro at left guard last year — to left tackle and let Guyton start at right tackle (over Terence Steele). Or they can bring Tyron Smith back, keep Tyler Smith at guard and let Guyton start at right tackle.

Whichever way they go, adding a top tackle makes their line stronger, and Jerry Jones knows this team has been at its best the last decade when it had a dominant front line. That’s going to be even more important next season if the Cowboys really are “all in” on winning a championship. They need a wall up front to make sure quarterback Dak Prescott stays upright, and they need the line to help rejuvenate their rushing attack, too.

They do have some other needs — a big defensive tackle, maybe a receiver or a running back — but those can be found elsewhere. A premium tackle, if there’s one like Guyton available, is too important to pass up.

Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.