Ben Volin’s mock NFL draft: Patriots will be among those teams making a trade

The draft is loaded with highly rated players at the most glamorous offensive positions — quarterback and wide receiver — as well as offensive tackle, plus one game-changing tight end. This year could break the record for most offensive players taken in the first round (19). There also may not be a defensive player drafted in the top 10.

And teams with specific needs are going to be targeting specific players, which should result in a flurry of trades throughout the first round.

In my final mock draft, I predict a few big trades in the top 10. Yes, I have the Patriots trading out of the No. 3 pick, as they have signaled to the world that they are ready to do. I expect the Vikings to make their move up for a certain quarterback. I predict the Bears going all-in and getting Caleb Williams an elite wide receiver. And I have the Jets getting aggressive and moving up for a new target for Aaron Rodgers.

And those are just the relatively easy trades to predict at the top of the draft. I don’t have the brain power to project trades over the second half of the first round. But teams like the Eagles, Bills, Packers, Raiders, Commanders, and Panthers seem like good bets to be wheeling and dealing throughout the latter half of the round.

This year’s draft is brimming with prime talent, and teams are ready to be aggressive. Thursday night’s first round should be, in a word, nuts.

Needs: QB, WR, G, LB, CB

Pick: QB Caleb Williams, Southern Cal

An easy choice to lead off. Williams is one of the most athletically gifted quarterbacks to come out in years, with a style of play drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes.

Needs: QB, TE, RB, OT, LB, CB

Pick: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

There have been some questions in the last week about whether Daniels wants to go to Washington. But the Commanders will take him anyway, and make him the first face of the franchise in a post-Dan Snyder world.

Needs: QB, WR, TE, DT, ILB, S

Pick: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina

The Vikings seem to want Maye more than the Patriots do. And after a lot of haggling and arm-twisting, the Patriots convince the Vikings to trade Picks 11 and 23, next year’s first-rounder, plus a mid-round pick for the opportunity to draft Maye. Let the second-guessing begin in New England.

Needs: WR, RB, G, Edge, ILB, CB

Pick: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

They’ll probably get a lot of offers for this pick, but they already have two first-rounders and six picks in the top 100. The opportunity to draft the best receiver and arguably the best player in this draft is too good to pass up.

Needs: QB, WR, G, LB, CB

Pick: WR Malik Nabers, LSU

The Bears are ready to own this draft, and after taking the best quarterback at No. 1, they trade a third-rounder and next year’s first-rounder to jump up four spots and grab Nabers, whom some consider even better than Harrison.

Needs: WR, TE, QB, RB, G, LB, CB

Pick: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

The Giants have to get a weapon here for Daniel Jones. It’s mighty tempting to take wide receiver Rome Odunze, but they have an even bigger need at tight end with Darren Waller looking like he might retire. The draft is loaded at receiver, but Bowers is the only game-changing tight end.

Needs: TE, OT, G, DE, LB

Pick: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame

They need a long-term solution at left tackle to replace Taylor Lewan from a couple of years ago, and even in a draft deep at offensive tackle, Alt stands out as an immediate starter on the left side.

Needs: WR, TE, OT, G, CB

Pick: WR Rome Odunze, Washington

With two of the top three receivers going early, the Jets send the Falcons this year’s third-rounder and next year’s second-rounder to jump up two spots and nab Odunze, a big-bodied receiver for Aaron Rodgers and insurance for Garrett Wilson.

Needs: WR, G, OT, DT, LB, CB

Pick: LT Olu Fashanu, Penn State

The Chargers need better protection for Justin Herbert, and Jim Harbaugh is an old-school coach who believes in building up the trenches. So they trade back and still land the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Needs: OT, TE, Edge, ILB, CB

Pick: DE Dallas Turner, Alabama

After fixing their offense in free agency with quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Darnell Mooney, and collecting a couple of extra picks from the Jets, the Falcons get the player they were going to get anyway, an All-American pass rusher and the first defensive player off the board.

Needs: QB, WR, OT, TE, Edge, CB

Pick: QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

The Patriots get the “bag” that Jerod Mayo said he was looking for with the No. 3 pick, then draft their new franchise quarterback. He comes with questions about his size and playmaking ability, but the Patriots just can’t say no to a championship-winning quarterback from Michigan.

Needs: QB, WR, G, Edge, LB, CB

Pick: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

In the first surprise, the Broncos pass on a quarterback after deciding that neither Bo Nix nor Michael Penix is worth the 12th pick. Instead, with buzz that cornerback Patrick Surtain could be on the trade block, the Broncos draft his replacement and take the best cornerback.

Needs: QB, WR, OT, RB, CB

Pick: QB Michael Penix, Washington

Penix has a troubling injury history (two torn ACLs and a season-ending shoulder injury), and he sits like a statue in the pocket. But the Raiders need a quarterback, so they cross their fingers and wing it. Al Davis would have loved watching Penix throw the deep ball.

Needs: QB, OT, RB, DE, LB, S

Pick: OT JC Latham, Alabama

With concern lingering over the recovery from knee surgery by veteran right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, the Saints bolster their line with Latham, a massive right tackle prospect and two-year starter at Alabama.

Needs: TE, OT, DE, CB, S

Pick: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

The Colts don’t have many immediate holes to fill, so long as Anthony Richardson returns to form from his shoulder injury. But they need depth in the secondary, and draft a cornerback with good size who made second-team All-American at tiny Toledo.

Needs: TE, OT, G, QB, LB, CB

Pick: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

It seems that the Seahawks are always looking for offensive line help. In Fuaga they get a two-year starter who should be able to plug-and-play at right tackle or either guard spot.

Needs: RB, TE, CB, S

Pick: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

The Jaguars need to fix a secondary that finished 26th in pass defense, and with cornerbacks starting to go off the board, they grab a big, productive two-year starter who also can return punts.

Needs: WR, TE, RB, LB, CB

Pick: WR Brian Thomas, LSU

The Bengals have had great success with LSU (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase), and since they need a receiver to replace Tyler Boyd and potentially Tee Higgins, going back to the LSU connection makes sense.

Needs: QB, TE, OT, DT, Edge, CB

Pick: DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA

The Rams are a sleeper team to draft a quarterback, given Matthew Stafford’s age and injury history. But they have to shore up a 20th-ranked defense, and take a gamble on the local kid Latu, who may be the best pass rusher in the draft but has had a neck injury that makes his future murky.

Needs: WR, LT, G, DT, LB, CB

Pick: DT Byron Murphy, Texas

It’s tempting to grab a receiver here, but the Steelers usually do that in the second round. They will need to win with defense in 2024, and Murphy is a versatile lineman who can learn from and eventually take over for Cam Heyward.

Needs: WR, OT, G, TE, DE, LB

Pick: G Troy Fautanu, Washington

The Dolphins need a defensive tackle after losing Christian Wilkins in free agency. But they also need a guard after losing Rob Hunt, and with Murphy going off the board one spot earlier, they fortify their offensive line with Fautanu, who has the athleticism to play all five positions.

Needs: TE, G, CB, S

Pick: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

Watch for the Eagles to trade up, because they don’t have many needs, and Howie Roseman is always looking to trade up. But if they stay at 22, look for them to beef up their secondary, and Wiggins has good size at 6-1 and can absolutely fly, with a 4.28 in the 40.

Needs: QB, WR, OT, TE, Edge, CB

Pick: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Mitchell had only one year of production in college, but the Patriots need a game-changing receiver, and he is everything they don’t have — tall (6-2), sturdy (205 pounds), and blazing fast (4.34 in the 40).

Needs: WR, OT, C, G, CB, S

Pick: C Graham Barton, Duke

The Cowboys need another receiver behind CeeDee Lamb, but it’s also time to rebuild their offensive line, especially after jettisoning Tyron Smith. Barton actually started at left tackle the last three years but is moving inside for the NFL and can anchor the Cowboys’ line for years.

Needs: OT, DE, DT, LB, CB, S

Pick: DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

The Packers have a need at left tackle with the release of David Bakhtiari, and with five picks in the top 100, they are a prime candidate to trade up and get one. But they also need to beef up their pass rush and improve their 28th-ranked run defense, and Newton can help both.

Needs: WR, TE, RB, G, Edge, CB

Pick: WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia

The Buccaneers don’t have many glaring needs, so they may as well get another weapon to help Baker Mayfield and supplement an aging receiver room. They have a tall, 50-50 receiver in Mike Evans and an efficient possession guy in Chris Godwin, and now get a versatile slot receiver who may be a nightmare to cover.

Needs: RB, G, Edge, ILB, CB

Pick: DE Jared Verse, Florida State

After taking Harrison at No. 4, the Cardinals get to work fixing their defense, which finished 31st in points allowed and 30th in sacks. Verse was a productive three-year starter and a 2023 All-American who can rush from defensive end or stand-up linebacker.

Needs: WR, WR, WR, WR, LB, S

Pick: WR Roman Wilson, Michigan

Watch for the Bills to trade up for a receiver to replace Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, but I could also see a trade back with several quality receivers still available at this point. If they stay at No. 28, Wilson has the speed, body type, and run-after-catch ability to take over for Diggs.

Needs: G, DE, LB, CB

Pick: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

The Lions don’t have many holes, and look like a prime trade-down candidate for a team like the Panthers or Commanders who want to jump back into the first round. But the Lions need more depth for a secondary that allowed the sixth-most touchdown passes, and McKinstry would project as an immediate starter.

Needs: WR, OT, G, LB, CB

Pick: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia

The Ravens might draft a receiver with this pick to replace Odell Beckham. But they used recent first-round picks on Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers, and also have a need at right tackle. They fill it with Mims, a 6-7 behemoth who fits their usual profile.

Needs: OT, G, TE, Edge, CB

Pick: DE Chop Robinson, Penn State

The 49ers could use some help on the offensive line and another tight end to develop behind George Kittle. But you have to take the best player available this late in the first round, and in Robinson they get an explosive edge rusher who can platoon with veteran Leonard Floyd.

Needs: WR, OT, TE, CB

Pick: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

The Chiefs need another receiver, but they always wait until later in the draft. They had major issues at both tackle spots last year, and although Guyton started only 14 games at tackle in college, he’s a terrific athlete with a massive body who could be a long-term answer on the right side.

Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.