2024 NFL Draft: Diamonds in the Ruff
Justyce for underappreciated rookies
The NFL Draft is not a perfect science. Despite teams full of seasoned and experienced talent evaluators, a handful of players fall through the cracks and are drafted later than they should be or are not even drafted.
In past drafts, I highlighted players such as Romeo Doubs, Cam Taylor-Britt, Ty Chandler, Cameron Mitchell, and Keaton Mitchell, who were undervalued, slid too far in the draft, or were not drafted at all.
This year, I believe there was outstanding talent that teams missed out on and will likely regret doing so. Here are some players I feel will exceed expectations based on where they were taken and may even turn into stars at the next level.
David White Jr- WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: David White Jr was impressive at every stop during the pre-draft process. From the Hula Bowl to the East/West Shrine Bowl, he generated consistent buzz with his overall size at 6-2, 195 and innate route-running ability to create separation. What makes his route running special is his release off the LOS. He has a very good combo of single/double moves vs. press and closes the distance, attacks blind spots well vs. Off & Bail coverage.
White shows good manipulation with level changes & stair-step combos at release points as well and has good hand strength and adjustment ability downfield to stretch the field and make plays in traffic. Despite all of the buzz and attention he garnered throughout the draft process, White somehow went undrafted and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has star ability with his knack for getting open and his reliability as a pass catcher. I expect him to rise up Jacksonville’s depth chart quickly and turn into a primary target for that offense sooner rather than later.
Trevin Wallace- LB, Panthers: Tevin Wallace went about where I expected, in the 3rd round to the Carolina Panthers. But in a weaker LB class, Wallace has the ability to be one of, if not the best. Wallace is not a twitchy player who is going to be amazing with athletic ability or stop-start speed, but he is an overall good athlete with excellent sideline-to-sideline speed and wins with his instincts and tackling ability both around LOS and in space. Wallace possesses good play strength at POA as well. He has the ability to stack & shed on the interior well, as well as stick runners well when he squares them up. He isn’t the most fluid athlete but he’s able to move well in space and provide production in coverage, he’s solid at passing of routes in Zone as well as making plays on the ball when in position.
With Frankie Luvu's departure, the Panthers needed to add depth to the position. With Thompson and Jewell likely to be the top two starters entering the season, Wallace will most likely have to work for more playing time, but down the road, I believe Wallace will develop into a good starter for the Carolina Panthers.
Christian Jones- OT, Arizona Cardinals: Christian Jones was a 5th-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft. He began his football career late in high school but was a 4-year starter at the University of Texas. Jones is a very large human being at 6-5, 305 with an 83 7/8 inch wingspan. And he just happened to run 5.04 seconds in 40 yards. Jones’ size & length make it very difficult for opponents to corner or work through, which makes his potential in pass pro scary. He also possesses very good physical strength at POA and is a body mover as a run blocker. Jones’s hand technique and balance are still a work in progress as his hands tend to get a bit wide, and he has a bad tendency to lean in pass pro, leaving him vulnerable to counter/double moves. His technique issues aren’t surprising, given how late he started his football career. He may need time and coaching to reach his full potential, but if he does, he can develop, so the Cardinals have two bookend tackles: Jones and Paris Johnson.
Jawhar Jordan- RB, Houston Texans: Jawhar Jordan was one of my favorite players in this draft. I understand he will be an older rookie and doesn’t have the prototypical size experts look for in a back, but he has true home run speed to take any play to the house if you give him a lane. Jordan possesses very good tempo & vision at LOS, with the exception of burst/acceleration at 2nd level. Despite his thin frame, Jordan has good contact balance and rolls off tackles well for his size; he’s able to shake arm tackles vs multiple defenders on a given play and fight for extra yards well. He possesses good hands and route running ability as a pass catcher, and with his great agility/speed in space, he can serve as a good checkdown option in an offense as well. Jawhar Jordan may not be a true #1 because of his size & pass pro ability, but he has the ability to be a very good change of pace back and is a great fit in Houston’s new offense alongside Joe Mixon.
Jalen Coker- WR, Carolina Panthers: Many of you who see this probably won’t believe me, but Jalen Coker has the best hands in this draft. Coming from a smaller school like Holy Cross, not many are familiar with Coker, but he does possess some really intriguing abilities. I’m not kidding. Coker just might have the best hands in the entire class. You turn on his tape, and it’s nothing but tough catches in traffic play after play; he tracks the ball very well, along with having good body control in all areas, and just possesses exceptional CIT ability to make big plays. Coker has good release off LOS as well, especially vs Press, he fights off hands well and shows good double move to create. His route running needs tuning up as he often telegraphs underneath routes with low pad level.
Coker signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent. If he can continue to develop his route running, Coker can play his way up the Panthers’ depth chart and into a nice role with the team.
Dadrion Tayler-Demerson- S, Arizona Cardinals: Darion Taylor-Demerson was selected in the 4th round of the draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Taylor-Demerson impressed at the East/West Shrine Bowl with his instincts & versatility. When you turn on the tape, that’s exactly what jumps out. At Texas Tech, he rotated from nickel to strong and free safety. His versatility is one of the best traits he possesses. I believe that was a big factor in the Cardinals selecting him. Taylor-Demerson possesses excellent instincts and ball skills in coverage and is also a great tackler in run support both around LOS as well as in space. Those are the main reasons why he is able to interchange positions and move around so much on defense while being productive anywhere he is.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Cardinals use him, as I personally believe he translates best as a box safety in run support and used as a robber to play underneath over the middle in coverage. Wherever he plays at the next level, he has a bright future ahead of him, in my opinion.
Kimani Vidal- RB, Los Angeles Chargers: Kimani Vidal is a running back that a lot of teams slept on this year. He is not the biggest or fastest RB you’ll find, but he has a great feel for the position and is not easy to bring down in space. Vidal has excellent vision around LOS to find open lanes and precise footwork not only to set up cutback lanes but to work through initial traffic. When he is moving from the first level to the second, Vidal is not easy to bring down. He possesses impressive contact balance to roll with tackles and does a great job finishing runs and falling forward at the end of plays.
Vidal’s contact balance and low center gravity make him a good short-yardage option on 3rd/4th & short and goal-line opportunities. The Chargers backfield is a bit crowded with Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins 1 and 2 on the depth chart, but if needed due to injury, Vidal has the ability to provide production right away and may become difficult to unseat by teammates who want that spot.
Jared Wiley- TE, Kansas City Chiefs: Jared Wiley was a player I really liked throughout the draft process, and I absolutely love where he landed even more. Jared Wiley is an ultra-athletic TE who is extremely fluid in space & after the catch, much like his new teammate Travis Kelce. Wiley excels on underneath/bubble routes, where he can work in space after the catch with blockers. Great lateral agility, combined with his size, makes Wiley tough to bring down in space, which can frustrate defenses and create mismatches with smaller/stiffer LBs. Wiley possesses natural hands as a pass catcher, too, and secures passes both inside & outside his frame when throws are a bit off target.
From an athletic standpoint, Wiley is very similar to Travis Kelce, and it makes perfect sense why the Chiefs took him. He may not see a heavy workload early in his career with Kelce still there, but Wiley will learn from one of the greatest TEs to ever do it, and that will only help his development. I believe the Chiefs found Kelce’s successor in the long run.
Finding Justyce:
Each of these players possesses quality traits that I believe will help them translate to the next level. Some may not start or receive significant playing time right away and will need time to develop, but I believe all have what it takes to become quality starters, with a few having star potential. It will be interesting to see how these players develop and be used by their organizations. Time will tell how their careers shape out, but they all have bright futures ahead of them if given the opportunity.