2024 Comprehensive Draft Thread

[ThatNFLChick]

If we go full on offensive line in the 2nd what receivers should we be looking at in the 3rd? I really do not want anyone under 6'2". We need someone big, strong and physical. 

Edited January 22 by ThatNFLChick

[RWJ]

2 minutes ago, ThatNFLChick said:

If we go full on offensive line in the 2nd what receivers should we be looking at in the 3rd? I really do not want anyone under 6'2". We need someone big, strong and physical. 

Better be looking at TEs too.  If Ben Johnson is hired as HC he uses them extensively in his OF.  

[The.Mad.Tyintist]

33 minutes ago, ThatNFLChick said:

If we go full on offensive line in the 2nd what receivers should we be looking at in the 3rd? I really do not want anyone under 6'2". We need someone big, strong and physical. 

I think a good move would be getting the over 6'2" WR  (somebody like Leggette/AD Mitchell/Troy Franklin) if they're there with the #36 and grabbing the best OL on the board at #40, names like Graham Barton, Tyler Guyton, Jordan Morgan, Kingsley Suamataia... I could live with that 

[ThatNFLChick]

12 minutes ago, The.Mad.Tyintist said:

I think a good move would be getting the over 6'2" WR  (somebody like Leggette/AD Mitchell/Troy Franklin) if they're there with the #36 and grabbing the best OL on the board at #40, names like Graham Barton, Tyler Guyton, Jordan Morgan, Kingsley Suamataia... I could live with that 

 

I mean, its all a crapshoot but do we think Leggette and Franklin are there at 36? If so, I like this idea! Do you have a preference between the two (I have watched more Leggette so prefer him but admittingly don't know much about Franklin)

 

54 minutes ago, RWJ said:

Better be looking at TEs too.  If Ben Johnson is hired as HC he uses them extensively in his OF.  

 

I know. It's a kind of meh class after Bowers. I am still very much on board with bringing in Noah Fant in FA. I think if Ben Johnson is the hire, unless we are drafting a surefire stud talent we should go with a young, vet TE with upsise that won't have as big of a learning curve because he will be used a lot.

[Chump Bailey]

4 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

I am tracking right now 26 RBs as to compiling stats and Jaylen has the best YPC number in that bunch.  A sick 7.4.  The next guy as to YPC after him is also someone I dig a lot, Marshawn Lloyd who was at 7.1

 

Thought I was alone on an island with Jaylen. I like him too, though his ranking seems all over the place.

[Warhead36]

Has Keon Coleman just completely fallen off the radar? I love his size and ability to go up and make tough catches. He'd be a perfect compliment to our more slight of build WRs.

[KDawg]

Just now, Warhead36 said:

Has Keon Coleman just completely fallen off the radar? I love his size and ability to go up and make tough catches. He'd be a perfect compliment to our more slight of build WRs.

He drops a lot of passes. 

[Warhead36]

1 minute ago, KDawg said:

He drops a lot of passes. 

Dang really? I haven't really watched that much of him but just remember hearing about how at one point he was WR2 behind Harrison. But yeah I have NO tolerance for WRs with bad hands. 

[OtisDriftwood25]

2 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

Dang really? I haven't really watched that much of him but just remember hearing about how at one point he was WR2 behind Harrison. But yeah I have NO tolerance for WRs with bad hands. 

Actually I’ve seen his biggest knock being separation. He makes great contested catches but does not seperate well vs ACC corners. Does make me think of another FSU that was knocked for that. Boldin.

[SkinsFTW]

Hopefully the new guys running the team like the existing WRs and go OL and defense with the 2nd and 3rd rounders. Of course there's still TE as a major need too.

[KDawg]

6 hours ago, OtisDriftwood25 said:

Actually I’ve seen his biggest knock being separation. He makes great contested catches but does not seperate well vs ACC corners. Does make me think of another FSU that was knocked for that. Boldin.

Actually, he drops a lot of passes.

[Skinsinparadise]

Coleman actually had one of the lowest drop rates in this group.  3.8%

 

The only dude with a really high drop rate among the touted Wrs was Troy Franklin at 10%. 

 

Not doubting people seeing drops.  I think it always depends on what games we watched.  For example when I was watching Jaylen Wright yesterday in the first game he had hands of stone.  In the next game they were glue.  

 

Sometimes though the drop rate doesn't tell the whole story because Wrs who get in the mix of the play will have a higher chance of having more drops.

 

 

Edited January 23 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

Was thinking if there is some modeling of the 49ers YAC drill.  Here are the ones with the best YAC numbers in order.  I forgot to eliminate Egbuka.

 

 

Kiper

 

1. Chicago Bears (via CAR)

 

Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Are the Bears really going to pass up the chance to take the top quarterback in back-to-back draft classes? I just don't see it. Last year, of course, they got a huge haul from Carolina for trading down, with this pick included in the deal. This year they have to decide whether to keep Justin Fields or trade down again, for a bounty that likely will be even bigger. Here are the two biggest reasons why I'd keep the pick if I was running the Chicago front office:

1. Williams is a better prospect than Fields. We've now seen three NFL seasons from Fields, and he hasn't put everything together on a consistent basis. There are too many unknowns for a guy with 38 career starts. He has completed just 60.2% of his passes while throwing 40 touchdown passes with 30 interceptions and has averaged just 7.0 yards per attempt in his career. Williams, my top-ranked prospect, is ahead of Fields as a passer -- the USC product has the skill set and instincts to be a top-tier quarterback at the next level.

2. Taking Williams resets the Bears' quarterback clock, which matters in an age when having a quarterback on a rookie contract means teams can build a better roster around them. If they keep Fields, they'd have to decide on his fifth-year option this spring and then extend his contract within the next year. Are they ready to do that? With a rookie, they'd get four years at a much more inexpensive cap number before having to pay up.

Now, Chicago doesn't have ideal leverage to trade Fields, but it only takes two suitors to create a market. Remember that when the Cardinals traded Josh Rosen one year after drafting him at No. 10 overall, they got a second-round pick from the Dolphins. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bears get a first-rounder in return for Fields.

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2. Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

The Commanders have a much more straightforward decision than the Bears. Sam Howell, who led the league in interceptions in 2023, is not the guy. They have to take a quarterback in a draft that has a clear top tier of three signal-callers: Williams, Daniels and Drake Maye (North Carolina). There's a drop-off in the class after that. With Washington getting an opportunity to take the No. 2 quarterback here, why did I go with Daniels?

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner improved so much in 2023, throwing 40 touchdown passes to just four interceptions while going up against a tough SEC schedule. In December, I went deep on his strengths, weaknesses and future, so you can see my full thoughts on his game there. The bottom line is it's tight between Daniels and Maye on my board, but Daniels would be an tremendous fit for a Washington roster that has some young playmakers on offense. Maye's inconsistency at the end of the season is enough for me to put Daniels at No. 2. The reality, though, is the Commanders just hired their new general manager and still don't have a coach, so there's a lot to figure out about which direction they go.

---

3. New England Patriots

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

It's a total makeover in New England, which will have a new coach and front office structure for the first time since Bill Belichick joined the organization in 2000. New coach Jerod Mayo, whose background is on defense, inherits a total mess on offense. The Patriots ranked second to last in the league in offensive points per game (12.9) and their offensive line ranked last in pass block win rate (43.5%). Linemen Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu and tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki are among the team's free agents. What better way to start a new era -- and possible offensive rebuild -- than to take an elite quarterback at the top of the draft?

Maye had some ups and downs in 2023, but he's an outstanding deep-ball thrower in a 6-foot-4 frame. He takes care of the football and has some dual-threat ability. There's a ton to like in his potential. And while the Bears might struggle with the decision to move on from their first-round quarterback picked in the 2021 draft, the Patriots shouldn't agonize much. Mac Jones has regressed enough to make that an easy call this offseason. Quarterback is by far New England's biggest need.

 

4. Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

OK, finally, I can discuss a position other than quarterback. Kyler Murray played well enough after returning from his knee injury to keep the job in Arizona. The plucky Cardinals won four games and showed some improvement throughout the season, but they still finished 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game (143.2), 31st in points allowed per game (26.8) on defense and 29th in pass yards per attempt (6.2) on offense. In short, they have big needs on both sides of the ball.

Harrison is one of the best receiver prospects of the past decade, a 6-foot-4 speedster who can run every route and break tackles after the catch. In Arizona, where Marquise Brown is a free agent, he could step into the No. 1 role as a rookie. He has all the tools to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. The Cardinals also own the Texans' first-rounder in this draft, thanks to last year's trade during Round 1, and they could look to the defense or offensive line there.

---

5. Los Angeles Chargers

Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Edge rusher? Cornerback? Offensive line? Wide receiver (again)? The Chargers have big questions and still haven't hired a new general manager or coach. This prediction is a shot in the dark until they figure out who's making the decisions. While I could see any of those positions being addressed here, I'm going with a fit I really like based on a different potential need.

Gerald Everett caught 51 passes in 2023, but he averaged just 8.1 yards per reception. L.A. really has to add a playmaker at the tight end position. With Everett hitting free agency, there's a hole for Bowers, who is spectacular after the catch, to fill. He had 26 touchdown catches over three college seasons, showing a stellar ability to stretch the seams. Justin Herbert hasn't had a pass-catcher like Bowers since he entered the league in 2020.

---

6. New York Giants

Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The Giants got just six games out of quarterback Daniel Jones on the way to a lost season that showed some cracks in the foundation. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale resigned after the season, and the offense under coordinator Mike Kafka struggled with Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito under center. New York's quarterbacks were sacked a whopping 85 times, the most in the league, and the offense ranked 30th in yards per play (4.5). The Giants used top-10 picks on offensive linemen in 2020 (Andrew Thomas) and 2022 (Evan Neal), but I absolutely could see them doing it again, as tackles Joe Alt (Notre Dame) and Olu Fashanu (Penn State) are still available in this scenario.

Still, I keep coming back to getting Jones more help, as he has never played with a true No. 1 wide receiver. Nabers could be that. He's coming off an 89-catch, 1,569-yard season catching passes from Jayden Daniels, and he has a rare combination of speed and route-running ability. He led the FBS with 17 catches of 30-plus yards. The Giants had just 15 total 30-plus yard receptions all of last season, five of which were from rookie third-rounder Jalin Hyatt.

---

7. Tennessee Titans

Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The Titans are another team coming off a lost season, and they moved on from Mike Vrabel in the aftermath. They hired former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as his replacement. Rookie second-round pick Will Levis showed enough promise to get a chance to start at quarterback in 2024, but there are big holes all along the roster, including on a defense that ranked last in the league in interceptions (6).

I keep staring at the Titans' depth chart and wondering whether they should go back to the O-line, though. They took Peter Skoronski at No. 11 a year ago and played him mostly at guard, where he was just OK. Why not solidify the left tackle spot with the top two tackles in this class on the board? Alt was the definition of a stalwart on the left side of Notre Dame's line, where he started 33 games. He gave up just two sacks over the past two seasons. Tennessee ranked 31st in the rate of sacks per dropback (11.1%) in 2023, so putting Levis in a better position to succeed should be a priority.

---

 

8. Atlanta Falcons

Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama

Here we go, another team in the top 10 that hasn't yet hired its new coach. The good thing about this projection: I don't have another quarterback with a top-10 grade, so I'm not going to force one to Atlanta. I wonder if it might be a trade suitor for Justin Fields or instead look to the free agent market for Kirk Cousins or cut candidate Russell Wilson. (If the Falcons hire Jim Harbaugh, I reserve my right to predict Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy to join his former coach.)

Let's move to the other side of the ball, where the Falcons ranked 32nd in pass rush win rate (30.9%) and 29th in takeaways (16). Veterans Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree led the team with 6.5 sacks apiece. This is a front seven that needs an injection of youth. With Turner, they'd get the best edge defender in this class, a 242-pound outside linebacker who had 22.5 sacks over three college seasons. He ranked eighth in the FBS with a 16.7% pressure rate in 2023.

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9. Chicago Bears

Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Chicago likely will take a hard look at the edge rushers in this class to try to find a starter to play on the other side of Montez Sweat, who finished the season with 12.5 total sacks (six for Chicago) after being acquired from Washington. Turner could have been a fit, and I also thought about Laiatu Latu (UCLA), who is the best pure pass-rusher in this class. But with the Bears' second top-10 pick, I want to slot in a playmaker for the new quarterback I gave them at No. 1.

Odunze had 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Huskies in 2023. He played out wide and inside -- 30 of his catches came from lining up in the slot -- and ran every route in the receiving tree. This would be tremendous value for Odunze, who is No. 5 overall on my board. He could be the 1B to DJ Moore, who had a great first season in Chicago. And with Williams throwing them the ball, the Bears' offense would be extremely dynamic.

---

10. New York Jets

Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

One year after the Jets got jumped by the Steelers in Round 1 and lost out on Broderick Jones, here's a chance for New York to get its left tackle of the present and future. It's the biggest void on the offense, especially with Mekhi Becton hitting free agency. As quarterback Aaron Rodgers makes his return to the lineup, he'd be thrilled to have Fashanu protecting his blind side.

At 6-foot-6, 319 pounds, Fashanu has the physical traits and footwork of an elite lineman. He could have been a first-rounder in last year's draft if he had entered. He allowed one sack in 21 career starts for the Nittany Lions. He still hasn't come close to reaching his ceiling.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2024/insider/story/_/id/39358096/2024-nfl-mock-draft-mel-kiper-first-round-predictions-32-picks-qb-fits

Edited January 23 by Skinsinparadise

[Koolblue13]

Thinking about where the groups are going to go on runs. The big WRs are going to run early, but I think some of the CBs will creep into the first and push a couple of the OTs and premier WRs down into the top of the second.

 

IOL is thin and is mostly going to go day two, outside of a couple guys lie Zitner or Limmer.

 

LBer and TE I think there are some pretty good prospects, but outside of Bowers maybe not a day one starter, so there might be a couple who come up into the back of day two, but it's mostly a day three strength.

DBs and DEs seem to have depth and should be all over the draft, outside of some premier guys. I think Verse is a top 5 pick talent wise and Chop and Turner should be top 10, but there will be edge talent deep but thin.

 

We talk about BPA vs Need, but resource allocation is important. Last year we went into a draft with talent deep at DB and thin at top end OL and drafted DBs early and sat out OL until we were picking up the craps. 

[Koolblue13]

I don't think he lasts until the 2nd round, but I'd love to draft XL. I think he has AJ Brown potential.

[OtisDriftwood25]

41 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

Coleman actually had one of the lowest drop rates in this group.  3.8%

 

The only dude with a really high drop rate among the touted Wrs was Troy Franklin at 10%. 

 

Not doubting people seeing drops.  I think it always depends on what games we watched.  For example when I was watching Jaylen Wright yesterday in the first game he had hands of stone.  In the next game they were glue.  

 

Sometimes though the drop rate doesn't tell the whole story because Wrs who get in the mix of the play will have a higher chance of having more drops.

 

 

Thanks. Do you by any chance have separation numbers? I know Nabers was pretty unreal in the slot this year. 

Edited January 23 by OtisDriftwood25

[Warhead36]

11 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

I don't think he lasts until the 2nd round, but I'd love to draft XL. I think he has AJ Brown potential.

Professor Xavier would be a great nickname too. If we dont go OL hed be my pick.

 

My philosophy is to go all in on offense in this draft. Get off to a running start building around our new QB. D we can get by with FA spare parts for now. 

[Going Commando]

We just need to go BPA.  No need to force picks on one side of the ball.  There is a great chance that BPA at 36 or 40 will be an edge or corner.

[Warhead36]

1 minute ago, Going Commando said:

We just need to go BPA.  No need to force picks on one side of the ball.  There is a great chance that BPA at 36 or 40 will be an edge or corner.

I dont hate that either. But if its close between two guys gimmie the offensive one. 

[OtisDriftwood25]

Just now, Going Commando said:

We just need to go BPA.  No need to force picks on one side of the ball.  There is a great chance that BPA at 36 or 40 will be an edge or corner.

Yes. BPA and positional value. We are trying to build a roster for 2-3 years down the road. 

[mhd24]

3 minutes ago, Going Commando said:

We just need to go BPA.  No need to force picks on one side of the ball.  There is a great chance that BPA at 36 or 40 will be an edge or corner.

 

I think BPA at 36 may be your draft crush Payton Wilson.  I don't think he'll be LB1 because teams may be scared by his medicals, but I doubt he lasts to our early 3rd round pick.  If we want him, we'll need to take him with one of those seconds.

[Skinsinparadise]

The player I've done the biggest 180 on is Sanders. Not that i didn't like him on the first watch.  i liked him but early 2nd felt rich to me on first blush.  I've changed my mind.  Especially watching the playoffs where its made me want a TE badly who is dynamic.   i like Stover.  I like Sinnott.  But IMO Sanders is more explosive.   More speed. More YAC.  I think there is a shot he falls to the early third.  But I am guessing he goes late 2nd.  Trade down add picks?

 

It's tough for me because in theory I want O line and WR with the 2nd picks or straight O line.  But i am not totally off someone like Sanders if they love him. 

 

Sinnott has grown on me some too where I like him more, the more I watch.  The best well rounded TE in this mix  But and its a big but for me, I wonder about his speed?  If he runs 4.7 or under than am all in.  Stover is well rounded but i am not in love with any one thing.  But he's another i'd be sold on is he runs well -- he's a hard read for me as to his speed.  I suspect he's around 4.7 but I wouldn't bet on it. 

 

I think my issue was Sanders is I started with watching his Oklahoma game which was his worst one.   Also the dude isn't Kincaid.  He isn't Laporta.  He wasn't featured like they were in the offenses.   So he doesn't jump immediately when you watch him like you would with the other two.  He's not the seperator that Laporta is or is like him as to contested catches.  He's not the seperator with hands like glue as Kinciad.  But I need to get over it.  We had morons running the FO, they passed over that TE class and it is what it is. 

 

I need to compare these guys to a typical TE class.  So on that front, Sanders is good at finding the seam, finding openings in zone defense.  And he's dynamic with the ball in his hands.  I think faster than Laporta and Kincaid.  Decent hands but I wished he was more physical as to contested catches.  I underrated him the first time I watched him as a blocker.  He's actually a decent blocker, same level as Laporta and Kincaid IMO.  That is, he's OK at it IMO.  I like him better as a run blocker than I do a pass blocker.  But they have him play in line plenty.  So this isn't an F TE.  He can play Y.  In line. Slot. Wide.  

 

On a sidebar, I watched 5 games this morning of Texas in the process of watching Sanders again.   Ewers had a loaded team.  Wow.  A. Mitchell.  Worthy.  Sanders.  I know some here dislike Jonathan Brooks but I don't get it, that dude can motor and has good hands, too.  I get the idea that he's a bit straight line speed RB but even with that logic, he'd be a VERY dangerous 3rd down back because he's big time explosive in space but alas he has an ACL injury so I'd pass -- I think his speed-explosion is his weapon and I am not interested in seeing what a diminished version of that looks like.   

 

Adonai Mitchell and Xavier are fun watches.  I wished both of them were 10 pounds heavier.  Adonai Mitchell is of that Troy Franklin mode -- tall but lanky, fast and you wonder if they aren't hot at contested catches in college how will that translate to the NFL with the bigger more physical CBs?  Xavier Worthy is fun on the first-2nd level but at his size-speed I'd dig him more if I saw him more as a deep ball tracker ala Desean.   I couldn't tell one way or another about Xavier on that front.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23 by Skinsinparadise

[Going Commando]

13 minutes ago, mhd24 said:

 

I think BPA at 36 may be your draft crush Payton Wilson.  I don't think he'll be LB1 because teams may be scared by his medicals, but I doubt he lasts to our early 3rd round pick.  If we want him, we'll need to take him with one of those seconds.

 

I love his film, but I personally wouldn't pick him before the third round.  He had three season ending injuries in college and one in high school.  He's also going to be 24 on draft day.  He's so good, and such a special athlete.  But a 24 year old stack linebacker with two bad shoulders and two bad knees only has so much draft value.

 

I actually think he's more likely to go on day three than day two.  His medicals are going to be so terrible and stack linebackers very rarely go as high as it feels like they should.  I think Trotter, Colson, and Cooper could be the only ones taken in the top 100.

 

Cooper I could see being BPA at our second rounders, but I don't think it's likely.  The edge and corner classes are way better and deeper than the LBer class, and I think our BPA pool will be some combo of those positions + OL.

[Skinsinparadise]

37 minutes ago, Going Commando said:

We just need to go BPA.  No need to force picks on one side of the ball.  There is a great chance that BPA at 36 or 40 will be an edge or corner.

 

I am BPA but I am a bit sore that this FO has favored defense over offense yet this defense sucked.  So I favor offense to bring some balance back to that equation.

 

FA looks better at positions of need IMO at defense versus offense.  The Ravens added edge via FA without even spending a ton and they were better at bringing pressure than our defense.

 

Especially if Ben Johnson is the HC.  I like what they did in adding two major weapons to their offense this year in Laporta and Gibbs.

 

I know you aren't as down on this O line as most but I desperately want it upgraded. 

Edited January 23 by Skinsinparadise

[Going Commando]

4 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

But IMO Sanders is more explosive.   More speed. More YAC.  I think there is a shot he falls to the early third.  But I am guessing he goes late 2nd.  Trade down add picks?

 

He's good.  He was a super blue chip recruit who was one of the highest graded TEs coming out of high school in the last six or seven years.

 

So was KB's guy Baylor Cupp btw. And so was Mayer.

 

I think he ends up graded in the 40s, so picking him at 40 is not a big reach, but I would still prefer to trade back if we're targeting him.  I'd have quite a few OTs, corners, edges, and IDLs ahead of him on my board, and I think several of them will still be there in the second for us.

 

Agreed on that Texas team being loaded.  That's what infinite booster money can do for you in the era of NIL.  I too like Brooks, but I don't care for Adonai or Worthy.  I love their IDLs.

 

I'm dreaming big with those second rounders.  I'm thinking star edge, star corner, or future stud OT at those picks.  Kind of feels like we're sleeping on this strong DL class, where there is a chance that Robinson, Elliss, Braswell, or Trice is still on the board at 36.  If we get one of those guys + an OT like Paul or Amegadjie with our seconds, we'll be sitting pretty.  Follow it up with a third round where we get something like Mike Sainristil and Van Pran or Corum and I'll be super happy with our mix of upside and leadership and position value.