After a long process of watching, evaluating, and scouting. My 2024 NFL Draft Big Board has arrived.
Here lies blood, sweat, tears, and controversy. As always any complaints are subject to @ThePhillyBlitz_
Enjoy.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr, WR
The kid is a coaches dream. I’ve always said if you could create a player, they would probably look like Julio Jones, but then MHJ came along. This young man is the epitome of measurables meet skillset, mixed with an immense work ethic.
It helps a whole lot when you pair him with arguably the best WR developer in the country, Brian Hartline.
Harrison Jr. has the pipeline (son of former All-Pro and 8x Pro Bowler Marvin Harrison Sr.) and the work ethic to become one of the best receivers the NFL has to offer. A mammoth player standing at 6-foot-3, weighing 209 pounds, Harrison Jr. moves a lot closer to the 6-foot, 180 pound frame of his father.
A savvy route runner, Harrison Jr. does a really good job of setting defenders up with limited false steps to get to his destination. He has a quality release package which allows him to gain a step on most. A lot of this stems from his elite level footwork but his frame makes it difficult for defenders to recover.
Harrison Jr. would usually prefer to attack defenders in a nuanced—finesse manner, but he’s shown that he is willing and able to fight through contact at the top of routes. He’s worked from multiple alignments in an offense that asked for a expanded route tree. He possesses really reliable hands that seem to find the football no matter its location.
He isn’t a ‘burner’ but he has what we call ‘football speed’ and moves extremely well for his size. Harrison Jr. is a threat with the ball in his hands, evidenced by his 28 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
2. Joe Alt, OT
Joe Alt is a second generation offensive line prospect. His father John, was drafted in first round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Known during his playing days as the ‘Monumental Minnesotan’, John Alt not only passed down his genetic football dominance, but his massive measurables as well.
Standing at 6-foot-9 with just over 34 inch arms, it’s no surprise that Alt has some vice grip like hands. He does a good job getting his hands under the pads at a great location. With that said, he can be overly reliant on this area at times. This becomes noticeable upon the snap of football where Alt is explosive out of his stance, but his kick step is a short kick into stance probably because he’s a bigger guy. This can lead to really bendy athletes getting the edge on him. He has a tendency to lunged at defenders with both hands to prevent rushers from getting into his body. I’d like to see him do a better job of utilizing a ‘punch’ to slow rusher up, and allow him a rest before initiating contact.
Alt possesses flawless athleticism — it’s on display both when he’s out in space as a lead blocker (was used here on counters run plays often) and when he mirrors and matches with defenders. He can work his way up to the second level with relative ease and has a natural response to counter moves. Technician is the best way to classify him. Alt is a high IQ guy evidenced through his ability to pass off stunts flawlessly and manipulate angles. In the run game, you have to love what he brings to the table. You can clearly see the flashes of ‘nasty’ in his game but I wish he was more aggressive at times. At the same time, he’s damn sure going to finish the rep.
It’s almost as if all of this is in his blood. As a three year starter, Alt has been groomed from day one. With only one sack allowed over the past two seasons, Alt has continued to develop into one of the premier linemen in the nation. You can expect him to step in as a starter from day one and a guy with All-Pro potential.
3. Rome Odunze, WR
In order to understand the player, you must first understand the person, and it’s not often I don’t come away impressed with Odunze each time I hear him speak.
He’s so self aware. Both of who he is as a person and prospect, but most importantly, he doesn’t shy away from who he can become. And much like his name sake, this Rome also wasn’t built in a day.
You don’t find many players that possess this combination of size and speed. A lot of the aspects of his skillset clearly come from his work as a multi-sport athlete as Odunze’s background in track & field is very pronounced, particularly as he showcases himself as a dominant vertical threat.
At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Odunze has the build to box out defenders and use his massive catch radius to haul in passes that no mere mortal should be able to do (see Michigan St. 2023).
While against man coverage, he showcases an understanding of how he wants to attack the DBs leverage, putting himself in advantageous position. That being said, Odunze has proven to be a three level threat with 35% of his targets deep, 25.7% of his targets intermediate, and 30.7% of his targets in the short area.
Odunze doesn’t project to be a big YAC guy at the next level though his bigger frame makes him more difficult to bring down upon initial contact.
4. Malik Nabers, WR
This young man is a testament to the age old saying of ‘if you’re good and work hard enough then the league will find you.’ Nabers is a fierce competitor that thrives off being the best and wanting to compete against the best. This is how he became the all-time leader in yards and receptions of the LSU football program. He’s been through plenty of adversity over the years, and he’s just the type of man you just don’t bet against.
This young man has a super power, but as is the problem with most young prospects, he’s still learning how to hone that power an make it A weapon instead of THE weapon.With Nabers his ability to control his speed is next to none in this class.
Nabers could be considered a shot creator at the position with his crafty releases and snap at the stem of route which allow him to manipulate space and leverage.
The YAC ability may be his best trait with over half over his receptions on the season going for 15+ yards. Nabers’ skillset projects seamlessly to the next level. He should be able to make a difference immediately at every level of the field.
5. Drake Maye, QB
You want to talk about a sports royalty? You can’t mention the name of Drake Maye without mentioning the greatness that follows the Maye name.
His brother, Luke, was a Tar Heel basketball great from 2015–19, known most notably for the shot that sent UNC back to the Final Four vs. Kentucky in 2017.
That same year, his brother, Cole, a pitcher, won an NCAA baseball title at Florida.
His mother, Amiee, saw her fair share of success on the basketball court. His father, Mark, was an All-American quarterback and all-state athlete in three sports, not to mention starting quarterback at North Carolina in the mid-’80s.
Now, Drake, the youngest of the bunch, is tasked with not only filling those big shoes, but also finishing a story his father began writing early on but was cut short by injury.
The term that can be used to best describe Maye is ‘a certified gunslinger’. He isn’t afraid to stand and deliver in the face of pressure and has a seamless arm to make any throw on the field. There are times he can get greedy with his decision-making, chasing the big play instead of the easy yards, but the young man is a magician with the football, sometimes to his own fault.
Maye is willing to make a play with the football or die trying. He has a high football IQ and understands where to go with the football when under pressure. Maye has 31 touchdowns and six career interceptions when blitzed. He throws the football with great anticipation at all three levels and does a good job of placing defenders where he wants to with his eyes opening up passing windows.
6. Caleb Williams, QB
Caleb Williams has always followed the beat of his own drum. Going back to his earlier days growing up in Bowie, Maryland, Williams was always the most impressive athlete on the field.
As his family migrated from Bowie to Northwest DC, he would attend Gonzaga College High School. It was there where Williams claimed the starting job as a freshman and never looked back.
I mean, simply put, he became the literal number one player in the entire class of 2021 during this time. He was a two-time All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selection (2019 MVP), was named Gatorade District of Columbia Football Player of the Year, and was a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American in 2018.
The Caleb Williams experience is a sight to behold. To begin, there is part of me that wishes he stayed at Oklahoma, and there’s part of me that is excited about exactly what USC did (or did not) do for him.
He plays the game phenomenally, but I generally don’t think he wants to play that way. The kid is a pure quarterback with some good athletic traits. That being said, he needs some refining after his time at USC and comfortability in his OL.
If done properly, Williams may be the best player in the entire class, but he may need some saving from himself.
7. Quinyon Mitchell, CB
When you compare how aggressive and relentless this young man plays football and you compare that to the soft spoken, humble young man that this skillset lies within; you’d have thought we were talking about two completely different people.
Off the field, he’s an old soul — the type of person that treats the tech intern the same way he treats the owner of the company. Growing up, Quinyon was the middle child of five siblings. He lived with his grandmother for the first nine years of his life and she helped instill the types of values that any person would want to have in this world.
On the field, Mitchell plays the cornerback position with the demeanor it needs. There are times where it seems that he opens up a bit too early, which leaves him susceptible to in-breaking routes, but it showcases high level short-area quickness and hip fluidity that often allows him to quickly recover.
Mitchell plays the football like he has just as much as a right to it as the offensive player. He always finds a way to get his hands on the ball and disrupt the catch. Even if/when he has to fight through bigger body types, he finds a way to be disruptive and not allow the catch.
To some, Mitchell and his rise to prominence came a bit out of no where. The three-year starter out of Toledo made a name for himself following the 2022 season where he set program record and led the country in passes break-ups with 25.
This past season Mitchell impressed once again, allowing under 300 yards receiving (for the second season in a row), allowing 27 receptions (tied for a career low) and zero touchdowns on the season.
8. Brock Bowers, TE
Every single season we have the conversation about positional value and how that should impact when/where a player is taken. Then there are the situations where the prospect is just so damn good it’s really hard to look the other way. That’s exactly what’s going on with Brock Bowers.
There’s probably an argument to be made is he even a tight end? Well, he’s whatever an offense wants him to be.
Bowers was a four star recruit out of Napa, California who was utilized in many ways during his time at Napa High School. Bowers saw time at tight end, running back, wide receiver, linebacker, and kick returner as he finished his senior season with 1,499 all-purpose yards and 18 total touchdowns.
This includes 39 receptions for 1,098 receiving yards and school-record 14 touchdowns, as well as 22 carries for 316 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
This success (and utilization) carried over immediately to his time at Georgia, where he led the team in receiving yards during each of his three seasons. This is in spite of missing multiple weeks with an ankle injury this past season. He became the first back-to-back winner of John Mackey Award for nation’s top tight end and the only winner of the award in Georgia program history.
As arguably the nations most productive player and most accomplished TE of all time, Bowers’ film certainly matches his production. He’s is an absolute nightmare to tackle in YAC situations. For a smaller sized guy at the position, he sure does play big.
One person will not bring him down, just ask South Carolina — he’s the type of guy that just carries bodies along his path of destruction.
Bowers keeps his feet moving at the point of contact and wills himself for extra yards You can clearly can see the running back background on display. Bowers is an absolute chess piece, as he can impact the game from any and everywhere. Literally he was taking carries on jet sweeps and running routes out the backfield.
He’s a pure hands catcher with a phenomenal catch radius, will bail the QB out with some crazy catches. With that being said, I do wish he was a little better in contested catch situations. Bowers is deceptively fast and is a quality route runner. I wouldn’t say he’s the most polished, but does a great job of finding open space and can use his frame to box out defenders. Bowers is a willing blocker, but he’ll probably need to become more nuanced in this area.
The thing about Bowers is, he was the UGA offense. While they have other pieces in other areas that can contribute, everything started and ended with him. It’s been like that for three years now, but it will be interesting to see how he fits and contributes to an offense that isn’t exactly built around him.
9. Taliese Fuaga, OT
For Taliese Fuaga, home is where the heart is which stands true in many different way. It’s why he chose to attend and stick with Mount Tohoma High School even during times the football team wouldn’t even win a game.
“All my siblings went here,” Fuaga said. “It’s like a home for me. The losing, it’s difficult to overcome. I come from a school that doesn’t win a lot, but I’m trying to change that.”
As a three star recruit, Fuaga played both defensive line in addition to the offensive line. Despite the lack of success by the football program, he was able to become First-Team All-League on the offensive line as a senior. While also earning second-team honors on the defensive line. He produced accomplishments of an All-Area nomination and being selected Second-Team All-League on the offensive line as a junior.
Fuaga chose to commit to Oregon State because once again, home is where the heart is. He stated that the program was the first to show him interest and the loyalty they showed meant much. In turn his teammates eventually repaid him.
“He gets along with everybody but he’s quiet. The team voted him as a captain last year. It kind of surprised me because he is quiet, but he was an awesome captain. When he spoke, people listened. He wasn’t a guy who was loud and talked a lot, but when he spoke, everyone listened. He’s a guy that everybody respected I think because of his work ethic.” Stated once Oregon State OL coach Jim Michalzik.
As a prospect Fuaga is as good as they come, there has been a conversation about whether he’s a tackle or guard. While I appreciate what he offers in terms of positional versatility if needed but I’m here to tell you this young man is a tackle. The first thing that jumps off the screen is that he’s a mauler in the run game wants you to know he’s in charge. Will really keep going until he hears the whistle.
Despite his sizes moves really well for the position. Has multiple reps where he gets to the second level and just punishes linebackers, knocking them over and finishing them off in a nasty way. Hands got some power to them, especially on the first punch. Has a rep vs Oregon where rusher gets hands on him first, he is able to displace them latch on and drive him out of the picture. The same can be said about a rep vs Latu.
There are times where I would like to see him keep a balanced frame consistently. There are times he can get a tad to tall out of the snap which can throw off his anchor and balance. There are also concerns he can be beat by more athletic and bendy rushers.
10. Terrion Arnold, CB
Terrion Arnold has the potential to be really freaking good. In order to understand how good he can truly be, you must understand where he currently is.
For starters, the kid is fairly new to the cornerback position. He was recruited as a 5-star safety initially and made the change upon his arrival in Tuscaloosa.
Simply put, Arnold does a lot of the nuanced things well for a defensive back — emphasis on defensive back. He’s a high IQ guy that communicates well, with an understanding of when to pass off routes and when guys are approaching in his area.
With his aforementioned safety background, it isn’t a surprise to see the versatility in which he has display on the Alabama defense. He’s aligned both on the outside and in the slot during his time as a member of the Crimson Tide. He’s seen success performing in press-man, off man, and zone coverage, though at this point in his development I’d prefer him in zone so he is able to understand what he’s seeing.
Arnold possesses the athletic traits and he shows flashes you would love in a standout outside cornerback, where each rep is important as he continues to learn the cornerback position. There is a window where he becomes a legitimate number one corner in this league with Swiss-Army knife usage leading up to that point.
11. Laiatu Latu, EDGE
The evaluation of Laiatu Latu is certainly strange to say the least. He began as a four star recruit that played at outside linebacker and tight end. Latu tallied 46.5 TFLs through two seasons earning USA Today’s All-California first team right as a senior and Delta League’s co-All-Purpose Player of the Year as a junior.
Latu arrived at Washington crowned the ‘Big Get’ of then coach Chris Pederson’s staff but after one season of play he suffered what was then considered to be a career ending injury. He had dealt with numbness in his neck that wasn’t alleviated by surgery. The university scheduled Latu to meet with five specialists nationwide, who in a consensus opinion determined playing wasn’t in his best interest, mentioning the risk of paralysis.
Latu kept a relationship with a specific assistant coach in Ikaika Malloe, who had landed a job at UCLA following his exit. He helped try out a potential career as a fire fighter and arranged for his eventual landing at UCLA following a two-year hiatus from the sport.
Latu became the most accomplished Bruin pass rusher since the days of Anthony Barr, and it’s not hard to see why. He’s a pass rush specialist well beyond his time. Latu has a move, a counter move, and a counter counter move. It’s incredible. I’m one game in and I’ve seen a swim move, spin move, a cross chop, bullrush and a crossover.
The best part is Latu goes into each rep with a plan, he treats his opponents accordingly and understands strengths and weaknesses and attacks them as such. When matched up with fellow 2024 draft class mate Taliese Fuaga, he seemed to want to take advantage of his length knowing that Fuaga doesn’t have the longest arms.
He has great hand usage and does a really good job of attacking the hands before you make your punch. The way he denies the first punch sets up everything for him.
There may be some work to be done in run support, as there have been a few reps he’s gotten thrown out the club. A lot of this can be attributed to his aggressive approach to play. With that said, he does a solid job deconstructing blocks, and possesses a motor that never stops running. While Latu doesn’t have elite bend or core strength, he’s nuanced in many ways.
In the league he’d preferably set in as a 3-4 stand up rusher, but if the wide 9 comes calling I’ll listen.
12. Jer’Zhan Newton, IDL
Football runs through the blood of Johnny Newton and his family. As the fourth of five siblings, Jer’Zhan [Newton] can make the argument as the most accomplished of the bunch.
But things weren’t always this easy. Talent was never the issue for the young man out of St. Petersburg, Florida. The exposure, on the other hand, wasn’t always where Newton wanted it to be. He saw success as both a running back — yes, a 245 pound running back — and defensive lineman, producing 244 tackles, 24.0 sacks, 45.0 TFLs, five forced fumbles in his high school career.
Newton also played basketball during his time at Clearwater Central Catholic High School, and was named a three star recruit prior to his commitment to Illinois on signing day.
For much of his life, Newton has been viewed as an ‘undersized’ defensive lineman. While his measurements may leave something to be desired, his skillset certainly does not. Newton is a havoc wrecker. He can use his size, or lack thereof to his advantage as he maintains good leverage over bigger defenders.
He doesn’t lack strength by any metric, in fact he has multiple reps where he’s essentially driving the blocker back into the lap of the QB or ball carrier.
What immediately jumps off the screen with Newton is his first step explosiveness and lateral agility. He gets off the ball so fast, makes it hard for OL to get out in front of reach blocks. He’s a highly productive pass rusher, mostly utilized as a 3-tech but often wins his one on ones with opposing guards. Most of the time they just don’t move fast enough to match up. Newton wins with speed, finishes with nuance and power.
A highly productive pass rusher from the interior, Newton is always making an impact on the passer even if it doesn’t always result in a sack. He’s a really smart young man and has a plan of attack when rushing the passer and can immediately identify blocking schemes upon the snap of the ball. He has a rep vs Wisconsin where the Badgers have two pulling guards and the TE should crash down, Newton beats blocker to the spot and blows up play for limited production.
13. Troy Fautanu, OT
The evaluation of Troy Fautanu is just like his life; one of taste, not deciding if he’s good or not but more so deciding where he’d be good at?
A well traveled kid, Fautanu was born near San Francisco, California. This before his family made the move to Tacoma, Washington and subsequently eventually to Nevada, where he settled long term.
It was here where he attended at Liberty High School, playing four seasons as an offensive and defensive lineman. As a senior in 2018, he was named to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s all-state first team, USA Today All-Nevada first team , and First-team All-Southwest League. To the surprise of many, Fautanu also played volleyball; something that his parents pushed him to do.
“That’s another place where my athletic ability shows. You never really see an offensive lineman go play volleyball and jump out of the roof. A lot of what these college coaches see, they’re just really amazed at how I’m at 250-260 pounds jumping as high as I am. I just really love the sport. It’s really fun.” Fautanu said, about his time in the sport.
With two seasons starting at tackle, but also reps at guard, and even a start at center (2022), Fautanu is an ultra versatile player, the type of guy that can play all five positions across the OL. The thing that immediately stands out is his athleticism, being able to attack laterally with ease.
While in the Washington scheme, a lot of this mobility was showcased in pin and pull blocks where can get from distance to the location he needs to be and make a near perfect block, especially at the second level.
There are so many things about his technique that are so good, the young man is as technically sound as anyone in the class. I really want him to be a OT but IOL may be in his future but that’s okay because he’ll be good where ever you put him. His feet move really well, does a great job of keeping balance from top to bottom. I believe he has a good anchor, though he can be pushed off his spot at times but does a great job resetting. I have to wonder if stronger defenders will give him issues at the next level.
A high IQ player, it feels as if he goes into reps with a plan counter moves for an OL if that makes sense. If he senses danger can recover both with athletic abilities and nuances. He has a rep vs. Michigan where he sets the defender up with a fake punch to gain a reaction then gains leverage to drive him out of the play.
Fautanu does a great job of getting to the POA but has to finish a rep with aggressive consistently.
14. Jared Verse, EDGE
Jared Verse has waited for this moment his whole life. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Jared Verse and his family moved to Benwick, Pennsylvania early in his childhood. It was here where Verse attended Central Columbia High School.
During this time is when most recruits begin to reach the height of their popularity. Not Verse though. As he would finish his time at the school with zero top offers and a zero star recruit. This despite Verse being a three-sport athlete and becoming a three-time All-PHAC athlete.
“My only offer was Albany, you know. A lot of teams weren’t looking for a 200 pound guy to play defensive end that only played tight end and wide receiver in high school,” Verse said.
After being used on both sides of the ball during his time at Central Columbia, Verse made the transition to full-time EDGE upon his arrival at Albany. The coaching staff wanted to change their philosophy in terms of how they rushed the passer, a plan that saw Verse viewed as the best kept secret should he be able to add a couple of pounds.
His first season in 2019 ended up being a redshirt year, it was during this time particularly as COVID began its widespread that Verse, went to his father, a former marine and made the commitment to add the needed weight.
After the break, Verse returned to Albany with about a 40 pound difference from his prior weight, and was ready to take the CAA by storm. And Verse did just that, producing 21.5 for loss with 14.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries through two seasons at Albany. But in order to take his game to the next level, Verse felt he had to move up to a higher level of competition. As the second ranked transfer in the country, Verse made his decision to transfer to Florida State and show the world what he was made of. During his tenure in Tallahassee, he became, FSU’s first two-time first-team All-ACC defensive end since Reinard Wilson in 1995-96.
As a prospect the first thing that jumps off the screen with Verse is his first step explosiveness, as he fires off the ball like a bat out of hell. He has an inept ability to translate speed to power seamlessly. While he has some tools in his pass rushing bag that include his favorite the bullrush, and also the swim and spin move. Verse doesn’t necessarily attack every rep with a consistent plan. He’s a much better athlete going vertically, than when he’s going laterally. In run support I’d like to see him become more patient, as he has reps he’s eager to make an impact he ends up eliminating himself from the play.
15. Nate Wiggins, CB
What can you say man? This kid is just an athlete. His love for sports began at just four years of age, as he began playing little league football. As time passed he became multifaceted at just about everything: baseball, basketball, track & field, and of course football.
Despite each of these, it was clear early on that football was his path. He stated that basketball ‘wasn’t his sport’ and that his speed was his ticket and football presented that opportunity to put it to use.
Nate Wiggins is a long and rangy cornerback who’s confidence pops off the screen. During his time at Clemson, he was asked to follow opposing team’s number one receiver on multiple occasions and operated from multiple alignments when doing so.
As a prospect, the marriage between his traits and technique do a magnificent job of working hand in hand. There are a few inconsistencies that could be cleaned up though. For example, he can be a bit high in his backpedal at times which can result in him being a bit delayed in his change of direction.
A patient player that stays in phase until a receiver shows his hand, Wiggins does a great job of monitoring body language as a tell sign in terms of how the receiver is choosing to attack him.
He has really good click and close ability and a keen understanding of route combinations. Wiggins does a good job of not allowing receivers stack him when defending vertically and has long speed and length that don’t allow receivers to create much separation down the field.
16. AD Mitchell, WR
It’s not easy to catch the eyes of the national media especially when you’re a high school football player in Texas but sometimes you have to be willing to bet on yourself, even when your path takes you down an unorthodox trail.
Every draft cycle, there comes a time where tape and traits intersect and become one. I feel as if we are fairly close to that time with a guy like AD Mitchell. Let’s make one thing clear, for starters, this young man is still learning how to play this position with only about four years of experience and he already does it very well.
When you watch Mitchell it’s easy to see his tall and lanky 6-foot-2, 205 pound frame pop off the screen. Yet when you see his skillset, you see a receiver who is an advanced route runner. I appreciate how he uses his head to set up moves for defenders. He has a lot of stuff in that bag, particularly in the red zone where his size and route running acumen is a terror for defenders as he creates separation with ease.
His catch radius is almost out of this world with how he can make a QB right even if the location is wrong. Mitchell does a phenomenal job of adjusting his body in the air and putting himself in positions to find the football.
Mitchell offers an X receiver frame with playmaking potential at all 3 levels which should make him a high impact WR2/low end WR1 to start his career with potential to become THE guy down the road.
17. Byron Murphy II, IDL
Boy if you thought Johnny Newton was a fun evaluation, boy do I have news for you! Another undersized DT prospect who plays with the weight of the world on his shoulders in more ways than you can imagine.
Murphy began playing football in his peewee days as a running back.
“He always played with kids that were two or three years older because of his weight and size,” said his mother, Seneca Murphy. “When he was 6, he was playing against 9- and 10-year-olds. But he was a dominant force, and he never came off the field. Every Saturday, he scored anywhere from three to four, maybe five touchdowns.”
Murphy continued his running back aspirations until a broken tibia (one he was able to continue to play through I might add) came to light and he made the decision to commit to the OL full time. After switching positions, the accolades came rolling in. He earned all-state honors, was a two-time all-district honoree, four-year varsity letterman, PrepStar All-Midlands Region selection, and was selected to the Texas MaxPreps All-State first team in 2020.
Murphy arrived at Texas as a four-star recruit and was a three-year contributor, earning 2023 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the year honors, along with All-American status.
Despite being relatively undersized for the position, Murphy holds power really well. He’ll stand his ground as it’s rare to see him bullied even on double teams. Texas utilized him in multiple alignments including as a 0 & 1 tech but I believe his best usage at the next level will come as a 3 tech.
He has a set of violent hands and will toss you out the way if you aren’t technically sound. He has a really good first step but needs to combine that with burst off the snap. I’d like to see him time the snap a little better, would work wonders with his explosiveness. He plays with a motor that runs hot and fights through contact to make a play on the ball. He has a rep vs. Alabama where he was seen making a tackle in the backfield when he was on his knees.
In the right landing spot, Murphy could be a difference maker. But ultimately his success may come down location and utilization.
18. Jayden Daniels, QB
If you ask Jayden Daniels, he’s exactly where he needs to be in terms of his development.
Daniels played his high school ball at Cajon High School; it was here that he became a four-year varsity starter. During his time as a high school athlete, he produced a 44-10 record, including back-to-back seasons with at least 12 wins.
Daniels threw for a record 14,007 yards and 170 touchdowns during a historic four-year career at Cajon; he also added 3,645 rushing yards on 562 attempts and 41 rushing touchdowns. Daniels produced back-to-back 6,000+ all-purpose yardage seasons as a junior and senior (12,487 total).
Things started very well for Daniels through his first season, and he looked to make an even greater impact in year two before COVID disfigured the PAC-12’s season. Arizona State would only play four games that season. While Daniels took a step back from his stellar play during his junior year and final season, off the field, he was able to graduate from Arizona State in just three years.
He began pursuing a master’s degree in liberal arts as he made the transfer to LSU for his final two seasons.
“I don’t regret anything at Arizona State, but coming here and really just believing in myself and my talent, plus the LSU platform, obviously, it goes a long way,” Daniels said when asked about the transfer.
The first thing that should be mentioned when discussing Daniels is his experience. With 55 career starts spanning over five seasons, he’s played a lot of football. This explains his ability to command an offense and dissect a defense from pre-to-post snap. This young man has phenomenal athletic talent. In fact, he is often the best athlete on the field, which is special given that he competed in the SEC.
I believe the young man just has to figure out how to tie all the elements of his game together. It’s work to be done, but I can see the vision. Welcome to the modern-day QB.
19. Brian Thomas Jr, WR
The Humble Beast is what I tend to refer to this young man as. There are a lot of stories to tell underneath Brian Thomas Jr.’s quiet and business as usual mentality.
This young man just has God given talent. The fact that he is preparing to enter the NFL Draft and become part of the 1% that many value, where in a different universe he could very well be doing the exact same thing in regards to his talent as a basketball player, speaks volumes to his athletic ability. Brian Thomas Jr. helped lead Walker High School in Louisiana to it’s first ever state championship en route to being named the Most Outstanding Player in said game.
As a football prospect, Thomas Jr. has openly stated how the gridiron was always his first love. He played football years prior to his freshman year in high school, but took the year off to play basketball because he felt despite being tall, he was too frail and basketball would help him tone up some.
Don’t let the hiatus fool you though, in his first game back he caught four passes for 218 yards and 3 touchdowns. He committed full-time to football during his junior year and hasn’t looked back.
At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Thomas Jr. is not only a problem down the field because of his deep speed, but presents YAC ability as well. Simply put, Thomas Jr. is a big play waiting to happen (see FSU ‘23). He’s shown the ability to out muscle and over match defenders with his massive size and ability at the catch point as a vertical threat.
While I would love to see him showcase this same catch radius and range in the short area, he seems to wait for a lot of passes to hit him in the hands instead of attacking full throttle.
I wouldn’t necessarily say Brian Thomas Jr. has the entire route tree at his disposal (he dealt with limited opportunities across the MOF), but he has shown the ability to run multiple routes in the quick game and as a vertical threat, where he has showcased enticing separation ability.
20. JJ McCarthy, QB
Contrary to popular belief, we actually aren’t pronouncing J.J. McCarthy’s name correctly. In fact, referring to phonetic spelling, it’s actually pronounced [WIN] + [UH]. As in winner, which is exactly what this young man has been his entire life, I’m talking way before Ann Arbor and way before IMG.
Aside from his play, McCarthy carries himself in a way that is either much beloved or hated, honestly, because he isn’t on your side. While he likes to contribute this level of moxy to his love for the late great Kobe Bryant and Bengals QB Joe Burrow. I’d like to believe this attitude took shape on the ice. Yes, before football was his mainstay, hockey became his first love. A love that was born from his mother, Megan, a competitive figure skater who had him on the ice at a young age.
To say that J.J. McCarthy is the most polarizing prospect in the entire 2024 draft class would not be an understatement. Much has been made of the surrounding talent and how the offense was schematically approached, ultimately ‘capping’ the cycling of what McCarthy could truly be.
While some of these concerns can be true to an extent, I believe that it’s necessary to add the context behind this evaluation. Simply put, instead of valuing the quantity of passes, we should view the quality of the attempts and what he was able to do with those passes.
With McCarthy, you have a guy who will efficiently operate your offense as it is today. I don’t think we’ve quite reached the point where you’ll win games because of McCarthy, and that’s okay because he provides plenty of upside to grow into one day.
That said, he damn sure won’t be the reason you lose a game. Kid is a natural-born winner, is coachable, and has a massive amount of untapped potential.
21. Graham Barton, OT/IOL
22. Olu Fashanu, OT
23. Dallas Turner, EDGE
24. Cooper DeJean, CB
25. Amarius Mims, OT
26. Ladd McConkey, WR
27. Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL
28. Edgerinn Cooper, LB
29. Ennis Rakestraw Jr, CB
30. JC Latham, OT
31. Tyler Nubin, S
32. Chop Robinson, EDGE
33. Kool Aid McKinstry, CB
34. Tyler Guyton, OT
35. Braden Fiske, IDL
36. Michael Penix Jr, QB
37. Troy Franklin, WR
38. TJ Tampa, CB
39. Zach Frazier, C
40. Chris Braswell, EDGE
41. Keon Coleman, WR
42. Payton Wilson, LB
43. Jordan Morgan, OT
44. Mike Sainristil, CB
45. Xavier Worthy, WR
46. Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE
47. Bo Nix, QB
48. Darius Robinson, EDGE
49. Junior Colson, LB
50. Malachi Corley, WR
51. Jaden Hicks, S
52. Jonah Elliss, EDGE
53. Roman Wilson, WR
54. Ruth Orhorhoro, IDL
55. Max Melton, CB
56. Trey Benson, RB
57. Ben Sinnott, TE
58. Caleb Bullock, S
59. Kiran Amegadijie, OT
60. Johnathan Brooks, RB
61. Ricky Pearsall, WR
62. Bralen Trice, EDGE
63. Jermaine Burton, WR
64. Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE
65. Cam Hart, CB
66. Christian Haynes, IOL
67. Ja’Lynn Polk, WR
68. Javon Bullard, S
69. T’Vondre Sweat, IDL
70. Adisa Isaac, EDGE
71. Xavier Legette, WR
72. Andru Phillips, CB
73. Brandon Dorlus, EDGE/IDL
74. Spencer Rattler, QB
75. Cade Stover, TE
76. Blake Corum, RB
77. Michael Hall Jr, IDL
78. Jamari Thrash, WR
79. Cooper Bebe, IOL
80. Malik Washington, WR
81. Kingsley Suamataia, OT
82. Kamari Lassiter, CB
83. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S
84. Dominick Puni, OT
85. Bucky Irving, RB
86. Kris Jenkins, IDL
87. Christian Mahogany, IOL
88. Roger Rosengarten, OT
89. Dwayne Carter, IDL
90. Kris Abrams–Draine, CB
91. Spencer Rattler, QB
92. Theo Johnson, TE
93. Austin Booker, EDGE
94. Sedrick Van Pran, IOL
95. Jalen McMillian, WR
96. Ray Davis, HB
97. Mason McCormick, OT
98. Xavier Thomas, EDGE
99. Javon Baker, WR
100. Jalyx Hunt, EDGE
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