Winners and Losers in 2024 NFL Draft
The 2024 NFL Draft is officially behind us, with 257 players hearing their names called on draft weekend. Many more are getting the call to sign with teams as well as accept camp invites. All 32 teams took players they think can come into their organization and make an impact. But as we all know, every year, there are players who live up to/exceed expectations, and there are players who underperform and just don’t pan out in the professional game. Because there are teams who win and lose each year based on their draft classes, I am predicting here who I believe won or lost in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Winners
Chicago Bears: I made my concerns on Caleb Williams very clear throughout the draft process, but his natural abilities as a thrower and overall upside are undeniable; if he’s able to transition to the next level, the Bears have themselves a QB they can build around for the next 15 years. After taking their potential franchise QB, the Bears followed that up by giving him another talented weapon in receiver Rome Odunze (University of Washington), whose natural hands and uncanny ability to make plays in traffic will make him a very good pro. The Bears then added Kiran Amegadjie out of Yale, a huge offensive tackle whom many scouts were very high on, and I believe he has franchise-tackle ability. Their fourth and final pick was Iowa punter Tory Taylor, who is known for his great ability to flip field positions and pin opposing teams deep in their own territory — another great asset to give your new rookie QB.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers had an outstanding draft, starting with one of the more versatile and underrated players in Washington's Troy Fautanu. The big offensive lineman can start Day 1 at tackle or guard, and I believe he has an All-Pro ability that will emerge early in his career. Pittsburgh then grabbed center Zach Frazier in Round 2, and even though he lacks elite traits, he’s a guy who can plug in right away and be a starter for years to come. In the third round, the Steelers took two Wilsons — wideout Roman Wilson from Michigan and linebacker North Carolina State’s Payton Wilson. Roman is a natural slot guy who can step in and be productive right away with his plus hands and route-running ability; Payton is a tackling machine with a high motor and great sideline-to-sideline range. Additionally, his athleticism and ball skills make him adept in coverage.
Washington Commanders: Washington was able to nab their QB of the future in Jayden Daniels, a truly dynamic, athletic QB, who can shred a defense with his legs yet possesses the arm talent to make and throw on the run. The organization was then able to land Jer’Zhan Newton who fell to them in the second round; many talent evaluators believed the ex-Illini standout had first-round value because of his pass-rush ability, jolting get-off and natural ability to collapse the pocket from the interior. Michigan CB Mike Sainristil was an excellent pick in the second round, and quite possibly my favorite from their class. The ex-Wolverine DB is a Day 1 starter who can, in time, turn into the premier nickel in the league. His coverage skills and instincts are exceptional, making him the favorite to be a true anchor for that defense. TE Ben Sinnott, Luke McCaffrey and Jordan Magee were all late-round picks who I believe really rounded out this Commanders’ draft class.
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles had a terrific draft as well, especially when at No. 22 they selected, in my opinion, the best corner in this class: Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell. The fact that Mitchell will be able to learn from a venerable vet such as Darius Slay will only increase the rookie’s upside and make him an ideal replacement for James Bradberry if they decide to move on from him. Doubling down on improving a lackluster secondary from 2023, Philly took Cooper DeJean in the second round. Though he wasn’t my favorite corner in this year’s class, DeJean could be a very good NFL safety, which is where I expect Philly to put him after accumulating so much depth at corner. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was one of my favorite picks of their draft. Given Trotter’s natural instincts for defending both the run and pass, I have no idea how he fell to the fifth round. The value here was phenomenal, and he is going to be a very solid player for the Eagles for years. DE Jaylx Hunt, G Trevor Keenan and WR/TE Johnny Wilson were other picks I liked from Philly’s class as well. Hunt and Wilson, in particular, offer great upside; Keegan adds depth to the O-line.
Carolina Panthers: The Carolina Panthers don’t get enough credit for their draft class. They were able to trade within the first round and acquire South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette — a big, physical wideout who thrives at the catch point and possesses the speed to take a slant 80 yards. Jonathon Brooks might be a Round 2 steal, as many observers touted the ex-Texas Longhorn as the best RB in this class. The main hesitation over Brooks is that he comes off a knee injury, so it might take awhile to determine whether he’s still the same player. But if he is, Carolina has given quarterback Bryce Young a good 1-2 RB duo behind him. LB Trevin Wallace from Kentucky was one of my favorite underrated players in this draft. Wallace is athletic, and blends speed and physicality; his availability in Round 3 means Carolina got a great value pick. Taking former Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders in the fourth round was another high-value selection. Sanders is very fluid in space and represents another athletic weapon the Panthers are giving Bryce Young heading into his second year.
Los Angeles Chargers: Another team that had a really solid draft, the Chargers landed a franchise tackle in Joe Alt at No. 5 overall, giving their OL two bookend tackles to keep QB Justin Herbert upright for a long time. Los Angeles then spotted Georgia’s Ladd McConkey open in Round 2. An elite route runner with excellent hands, McConkey could be a bona fide slot receiver and someone who can give Herbert a very reliable target on third down. One of new head coach Jim Harbaugh’s defensive standouts at Michigan, LB Junior Colson, was a solid pick late on Day 2. His instincts and tackling ability will get him on the field early and give the Chargers a new Mike on defense. Other notable picks that solidified LA’s draft were CB Cam Hart, RB Kimani Vidal and WR Brenden Rice on Day 3. All added tremendous value in the later rounds and will boost the depth of a rebuilding team.
New York Giants: It’s no secret—former LSU wideout Malik Nabers was a home-run pick for the Giants at No. 6 overall. Nabers is a dynamic receiver who can take the top off a defense and make spectacular plays downfield. But he can also work underneath and make plays after the catch. Tyler Nubin in the second round was another pick I loved. An absolute ballhawk with a fantastic knack for creating turnovers, the ex-Minnesota Gopher fills a big need after free agent safety Xavier McKinney’s departure and will make the backend of this secondary scary.
In the fifth round, the Giants selected RB Tyrone Tracy from Purdue. He’s not going to fill Saquon’s shoes for that offense, but Tracy is an ultra-smooth runner with good vision. He’s going to surprise and impress the more touches he gets and can be a nice piece for this offense. The Giants’ remaining picks consisted of TE Theo Johnson, CB Andru Phillips and LB Darius Muasau, all good-value picks as well, which will bolster New York’s bench.
Losers
Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars had a very underwhelming draft overall, with a lot of reaches early and, generally speaking, an underwhelming haul of talent. Brian Thomas Jr. in Round 1 wasn’t a bad pick by any stretch; the physical traits and overall upside are there, but with other receivers on the board — Xavier Legette, Adonai Mitchell and Keon Coleman, among them — I felt they could’ve made a better selection. DT Maason Smith out of LSU was another reach, with guys like Kris Jenkins still on the board — Jenkins went the very next pick — as well as players like Michael Hall Jr. and DeWayne Carter, both of whom I felt were better athletes with better upside. Overall, I felt the Jaguars failed to add talent that will help them both in 2024 and years down the road.
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys made some picks that I really like — Cooper Beebe and Marist Liufau spring to mind — but overall, I found their draft class lacking, and they passed on talented players who could have filled needs. Trading down in Round 1, the Cowboys took offensive lineman Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma. I understand that Dallas wanted to move down to acquire more picks, but G Graham Barton was worth taking at their original draft spot more than the deal they eventually made.
Running back was a huge need for the Cowboys with the departure of Pollard this offseason; by trading back they gained more capital but opted against taking an available RB such as a Marshawn Lloyd, Blake Corum, Audric Estime or Bucky Irving in the later rounds. Overall, I thought Dallas’ selections were not all that impressive, and that Big D could look back at this draft and regret some of their decisions.
Denver Broncos: I was a fan of the DE Jonah Ellis from Utah and RB Audric Estime picks, but, outside of those, I feel that Denver — as I did with the Jags — both reached and in the end failed to bring in any exciting talent. Former Oregon standout Bo Nix is the big gamble at quarterback. In my mind, Nix was a third-rounder, and the Broncos opting to take him (No. 12 overall) seems like a poor decision. Nix has some notable abilities, but he’s a system QB who will need to be put into a quick-read style of offense stocked with a lot of talent for him to make it work in the NFL. Ultimately, I see Nix less as a longtime starter than as a career backup. Denver making such a stretch in the first round could set this team back another 3-4 years, meaning that they’ll likely find themselves again looking for a franchise QB during that time frame.
Atlanta Falcons: Look, for me Michael Penix Jr. was the second-best QB in this class, and I certainly don’t have a problem with him as a first-round talent. What I do have a problem with is the Falcons still taking the left-hander after signing veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180-million deal earlier in the offseason (with a $50 million signing bonus and $90 million guaranteed over the next two seasons).
I understand the thought process behind having Penix sit behind Cousins, much like Jordan Love did with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. The issue is that Love was just 21 years old when he entered the league. Penix will be 24 before the season starts. Penix needed to come in and start right away, but now he has to sit behind a veteran for who knows how many years. Ultimately, I feel the Falcons had a poor plan coming into the draft and will regret the contract they gave Cousins instead of just taking Penix and spending the money elsewhere.
As for the rest of Atlanta’s draft…meh. Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro and former Washington DE Bralen Trice are underwhelming picks. Ruke is a bit of a project, while Trice is too athletically limited to be a big-time factor against quality NFL tackles. This Falcons class could be looked at as a failure when it’s all said and done.
The 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and time will tell how the players from each team will evolve, and which class will be confirmed as a success or step back. Overall, I thought many teams drafted well, so many in fact that I didn’t have time to highlight them all. So those teams get an honorable mention for their successful draft efforts:
Arizona Cardinals
New York Jets
Green Bay Packers
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Rams
Las Vegas Raiders
New Orleans Saints