NFL draft 2024: Six quarterbacks chosen in high 12 picks – reside | NFL

No group entered the draft with a extra urgent want at nook than Detroit. They handed a third-round decide to the Cowboys to leap up and choose Terrion Arnold out of Alabama. Arnold is a ball-hawk. He picked off six passes and had 20 move breakups in his school profession. Draft analysts had been cut up on whether or not Arnold or Quinyon Mitchell was the highest cornerback on this class: Arnold is a savvy nook, additional alongside in his improvement than Mitchell; Mitchell has extra athletic upside. “There are guys that like soccer. There are guys that love soccer. After which there’s Terrion Arnold,” Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Community says.

Commerce! The Cowboys have moved down and the hometown Lions have leapt as much as No 24

23. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr, WR, LSU

With Calvin Ridley leaving in free company, the Jags take a swing on a boom-or-bust receiver. Thomas is a vertical menace who ran solely two routes at a higher than 10% clip at LSU. Like his LSU teammate Malik Nabers, Thomas is a burner down the sphere. He led school soccer in 2023 with 17 touchdowns and averaged 17.3 yards per catch.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

The Eagles choose a cornerback within the first-round for the primary time since 2002. Mitchell is all about pace, pace and extra pace. He didn’t concede a single landing as the closest defender in protection in 4 years in school.

One thing for you, New England followers. Right here is Invoice Belichick with an in depth breakdown of latest Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

The Dolphins choose edge-rusher Chop Robinson with the twenty first decide.

Miami swoops in and grabs the springiest edge-rusher within the draft. Robinson is an undersized pass-rusher who can toggle between positions. Miami entered the draft in determined want of a pass-rusher. Their protection fell aside down the stretch final season as soon as Jaelan Phillips was misplaced to an harm. Robinson could by no means grow to be an every-down participant, however he’ll be a menace on third downs.

It’s simply dawned on me that the NFL remains to be investigating the Falcons for tampering with Kirk Cousins previous to free company. Is the funniest end result to the Cousins-Penix scenario, Cousins asking to be traded subsequent yr and the Falcons dropping their 2025 first-round decide?

The Steelers choose offensive deal with Troy Fautanu with the twentieth decide.

Pittsburgh goes back-to-back years with offensive tackles within the first spherical. Fautanu is probably the most athletic linemen in a draft loaded with uber athletes. How typically do you see an o-lineman dropping a spin transfer on a pass-rusher to counter their spin transfer?

The phrase ‘freak’ is thrown round too liberally with draft prospects. However Fautanu suits the billing.

Cam Heyward, Steelers ace and the NFL’s 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Yr, is on stage to announce Pittsburgh’s decide.

Everybody besides Mr Bowers appears very excited that Brock is on his technique to Vegas

The LA Rams choose edge-rusher Jared Verse nineteenth total.

There was some thought the Rams might go trying to find an Aaron Donald alternative right here. As an alternative, the Rams go together with an all-gas, no-break edge rusher. Verse is a rocket off the snap and performs with a nasty streak. As technicians go, Verse could be properly down the record on this class. He’s extra of a through-your-facemask rusher. However his fashion – Verse wracked up 10-plus TFLs in every of his 4 seasons in school soccer.

Right here’s a shock: the Rams shall be making a first-round decide for the primary time since they chose Jared Goff within the 2016 draft.

The Bengals choose offensive deal with Amarius Mims with the 18th decide.

Cincy provides one other hulking deal with to go alongside Trent Brown and Orlando Brown Jr. Mims is without doubt one of the wildcards of the draft. He has the prototypical peak, weight, pace and construct for a top-tier offensive deal with. However he’s performed barely any soccer. Mims struggled with accidents in his remaining yr at Georgia, and has solely seven profession begins to his identify. The expertise is there – and the Bengals wanted offensive line reinforcements – however this can be a swing-for-the-fences decide.

So… again to the Falcons – once more. This doesn’t appear to be a draft room that’s completely bought on the choice it simply made.

The Vikings choose Alabama pass-rusher Dallas Turner with the seventeenth decide.

Minnesota goes all Texans. First, they chose JJ McCarthy with the tenth decide. Now, they deal again as much as seize probably the most explosive edge-rusher within the class. Turner is a basic dip-and-rip rusher who wins with pace and bend off the sting. He lacks some polish, however Turner performs with reckless abandon when defending the run and has the expertise to be a three-down defensive anchor. The Vikings had been closely reliant on blitzing to get after opposing quarterbacks final season. Including Turner will permit the group to get house with a four-man rush extra constantly.

Commerce! The Vikings have jumped as much as the seventeenth decide, dealing away the No 23 decide, decide 167, a 2025 third-round decide and a 2025 fourth-round decide.

The Seahawks choose defensive deal with Byron Murphy II with the sixteenth decide.

Murphy is the slight, quick-twitch penetrator on this class. Suppose Ed Oliver. Or, in the event you squint laborious sufficient, you may see Aaron Donald. Inside strain is the hardest factor to guard towards within the NFL. Murphy will carry some wanted sizzle to Seattle’s inside.

Away from the draft, the Vikings and Patriots reportedly known as the Chargers about buying and selling for Justin Herbert. Hey, it’s value asking.

“I knew it. I manifested it,” Laiatu Latu tells NFL Community of being the primary defensive participant chosen within the 2024 NFL draft two years after he was pressured to medically retire.

The Colts choose edge-rusher Laiatu Latu with the fifteenth total decide.

Indy would have liked to have been within the Brock Bowers sweepstakes. However with Bowers off the board, the Colts primarily had the No 1 total decide within the 2024 defensive draft. They used the decide to pick out the very best edge-rusher within the class.

Groups have entry to extra statistics than ever, however in the case of the ultimate analysis, GMs fall again on the oldest methodology of all: watching precise video games. And in the event you watch these video games, it’s clear Latu is as gifted as any participant on this class.

However there are medical considerations. Latu suffered a neck harm at Washington in 2020 and was pressured to retire from the game. Throughout his hiatus, he had a number of operations on his neck and took up rugby in Seattle. In 2022, he was cleared to return to soccer and transferred to UCLA, the place he spent the following 24 months clowning all earlier than him. His tape towards Arizona is for mature audiences solely.

It’s the fashion that grabs you with Latu. He’s probably the most distinctive pass-rushing prospect in recent times. It’s tempting to say Latu performs at his personal tempo, however that phrase is usually hooked up to slower guys. The 23-year-old is explosive in tight areas. He’s good sluggish and quick. He performs at no matter tempo serves him. There are occasions when he isn’t even actually speeding the passer, no less than not within the conventional sense. It’s as if he’s enjoying his personal sport, some fusion of MMA and interpretive dance; he’s all limbs and head fakes and unorthodox approaches to knifing into the backfield.

Latu is stylistically mesmerizing, however that fashion has substance. He completed with 27 sacks and 107 complete pressures in his two years at UCLA, the best fee in school soccer. His 26.2% move rush win fee in his remaining yr is tied for the best determine on report. If the surgical procedures affected his sport, it didn’t present up at UCLA. In two seasons with the group he didn’t miss a sport resulting from harm.

Latu is without doubt one of the coolest tales of the draft: He’s gone from being a part-time rugby participant/part-time fire-fighter to being the primary defensive participant off the board.

In accordance with ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

“The report of most offensive gamers to open a draft was seven in 2021. And now the report has been doubled: first 14 picks have all been offensive gamers.”

The Saints choose Oregon State Taliese Fuaga with the 14th decide.

The Saints in all probability want to return out of this draft with two starters on their offensive line. They begin early, grabbing the very best run blocker within the class with the 14th decide. Fuaga began 25 video games at proper deal with in school, however he has a small wingspan so might transfer inside on the subsequent degree. He’s an elite blocker on the transfer and is at all times trying to blast folks. Fuaga is the primary Oregon State participant to be drafted within the first spherical since Brandin Cooks in 2014.

Falcons followers will not be taking the Penix decide properly:

And NFL Community reviews that Kirk Cousins was not given a heads up that the decide was coming. ESPN’s Dianna Russini reviews Cousins was ‘shocked’ by the decide. No worries, he solely has $100m assured to him for the following two seasons. Uh-oh.

That offense-defense tally: 13 picks; 13 offensive gamers; zero defensive gamers. Let’s set the over-under for the remainder of the primary spherical at 6.5 for defensive gamers.

Brock Bowers goes off the board to the Las Vegas Raiders with the thirteenth decide.

Some of the fascinating prospects within the class is on his technique to Vegas. Bowers is a dynamic tight finish who, in actuality, is a large receiver in tight ends clothes. Bowers had 56 catches for 714 yards and 6 touchdowns final season, doing a ton of injury with the ball in his hand after the catch. There may not have been a extra enjoyable participant in school soccer during the last two years. He hurdles defenders. He runs by means of defenders. He runs away from defenders. As a pure tight finish, he’s a restricted blocker. However Vegas didn’t draft him to steer the road within the run sport. He’s arriving to bounce across the formation and catch passes.

Profile: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon. Nix is an older QB who was considered as an undraftable prospect again in his Auburn days however caught hearth as soon as he transferred to Oregon. He’s a point-guard fashion quarterback, who distributes the ball round to his playmakers and has sufficient of a really feel as a playmaker to create performs together with his legs. Should you squint laborious sufficient, you possibly can see an NFL starter. He has the expertise in an expansive offense to have the ability to play for Sean Payton instantly.

Woah. Sean Payton and the Broncos couldn’t assist themselves. In determined want of a quarterback, the Broncos go forward and take their man moderately than buying and selling down and enjoying the ready sport. Poor Zach Wilson.

That’s 11 offensive gamers off the board with the primary 11 picks. Denver are up subsequent. And with all the highest quarterbacks off the board, we ought to see the primary defensive participant taken right here.

The Jets choose Olu Fashanu, LT, Penn State with the eleventh decide.

So the Jets determine to discover a protector for Aaron Rodgers moderately than looking for a spark-plug on the ability positions. Will the moaner-in-chief be pleased with the choice?

Fashanu remains to be a uncooked deal with. He has began solely 21 video games in his profession and turned 21 in December. He’s a giant toolsy deal with with arms so lengthy they give the impression of being CGI’d on. Within the run sport, he strikes like a decent finish. In move safety, he’s too large for pass-rushers to run by means of and has fast sufficient ft to shuffle with even probably the most agile pass-rushers. His method wants some work. And that stuff takes time, one thing the Jets are quick on.

Profile: JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan. If ever there was a spot for McCarthy to land, it could be Minnesota. From my pre-draft have a look at McCarthy:

“No participant has been extra polarizing this cycle than McCarthy. His advocates see a quarterback of untapped potential, with a giant arm, wheels and a fearless streak. His detractors level to McCarthy’s time at Michigan and say, with these abilities, he ought to have produced extra.

McCarthy guided Michigan to the nationwide championship with a roster loaded with future NFL expertise – by the point the draft concludes, the 2023 Wolverines roster will in all probability have extra gamers drafted than any group in historical past. Given the excess of expertise, McCarthy was requested to thoughts the store, to play inside the offense, at hand the ball off to working backs (quite a bit) and play good, mistake-free soccer. He hardly ever threw on third down, largely as a result of Michigan had been comfortably forward in video games – or they had been so overwhelming that they didn’t want third downs.

For some decision-makers, McCarthy is the platonic preferrred of a quarterback prospect: A proficient passer with the athletic traits and intangibles that make scouts and GMs purr. He’s a confirmed winner and chief, who has been drawing up performs since he was 5 years outdated. He informed fellow recruits taking a look at becoming a member of Michigan that “in the event that they needed to occasion and chase ladies, go someplace else”, based on draft analyst Dane Brugler.

It’s telling, nevertheless, that leaks from the scouting world reference every thing besides McCarthy’s means to finish passes. Name it the Daniel Jones Zone. There are flashes from his school resume, however the quarterback that groups need him to be within the execs is totally different from the one he was requested to be at Michigan.”

Minnesota is the perfect touchdown spot, although. No coach is extra keen to overtake the mechanics of their system to suit their QB than Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. McCarthy was pushed right into a extra conventional system at Michigan, which hampered a few of his pure instincts. He has a dynamite arm and a very good athlete. O’Connell will faucet into that facet of his sport greater than Jim Harbaugh did at Michigan. Oh, and throwing to Justin Jefferson isn’t a nasty factor for a younger quarterback.

Minnesota jumps up one spot to seize their quarterback of the longer term. That’s 5 (!) quarterbacks off the board within the first 10 picks.

From Neil Saffer: “With Malik Nabers, have the Giants discovered the proper mix?”

They certain have! In a standard world, the place Marvin Harrison Jr strolling round, Nabers could be the slam-dunk high receiver within the draft. He’s extra of a nuanced route-runner than he’s given credit score for as a result of his pace leaps off the display screen. He wins contested catches. He creates after the catch. And he can dunk on defensive backs down the sphere. Brian Daboll is without doubt one of the finest play-callers within the league at springing receivers open by means of play design. If he’s capable of get Nabers out into area untouched, nobody can sustain with him.

Commerce! The Vikings have despatched a fourth and fifth-round decide to the Jets to leap up one spot to No 11.

Profile: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington. How about this for a one-two punch? After selecting up Keenan Allen through commerce this offseason and stealing DJ Moore final season, the Bears add Rome Odunze to the fold. Odunze is a big-bodied receiver who dominates on the catch-point. He’s a kind of exterior receivers who widens a quarterback’s margin for error. His most typical comparability within the pre-draft course of: Keenan Allen. The Bears definitely have a sort.

The Chicago Bears choose Washington huge receiver Rome Odunze to pair with Caleb Williams at No 9.

Profile: Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington. THE shock of the draft. The Falcons seize a quarterback of the longer term in the identical offseason they signed Kirk Cousins to an enormous free-agent contract. NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport reviews that that is all about ‘succession’ planning, which is unusual, as a result of Penix is 24-years-old and shall be 26 by the point Cousins’ contract expires. Penix is the very best pure pocket passer on this class. He can spin it to anyplace on the sphere. The knocks on Penix are three-fold: he performed in a goofy offense at Washington; he was surrounded by first-round expertise; he’s had a sequence of accidents. Penix had 4 season-ending accidents in school. He tore two ACLs in two years, and it limits his means to maneuver round and lengthen performs, a prerequisite within the fashionable NFL. If something, Penix has some Kirk Cousins to his sport – albeit with a much bigger arm. Perhaps the Falcons know what they’re doing in spite of everything.

Woah. The chaos begins. The Falcons seize the Washington quarterback with the eight decide in the identical offseason they inked Kirk Cousins to a mega-money free-agent deal.