2024 NFL Draft Big Board - Top 100 Prospects

The 2024 NFL Draft is just a couple days away and here, I'm providing my top 100 big board. 

In case you missed it, myself and Mark Morales-Smith also delivered position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL | DT | EDGE | LB | CB | S

1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
3. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
4. Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame
5. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
6. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
7. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
8. Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
9. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, T, Penn State
10. Taliese Fuaga, T, Oregon State

Mark Morales-Smith had plenty to say about Rome Odunze:

Physically, Odunze has all the makings of a potentially dominant WR1 in the NFL, however, his route running will have to improve for him to become the top guy teams are hoping to get with what will likely be a top-10 pick. While he will physically be a nightmare for any defensive back to deal with, his route running is strong but lacks the subtle nuances that made players like Larry Fitzgerald and Davante Adams special and separated them from the back despite not having that burner breakaway speed. 

Jer'Zhan Newton is one of my top defensive tackles in this class. 

I'm calling him Jer'Zhan, but I've seen the name Johnny on some sites. Newton is an above-average disruptor with a nice big frame and room to grow. He plays with controlled tenacity, and his wins pop when he can disengage from the block. 

There's a suddenness to his game, and he can lull blockers with well-timed force and speed. He has an average first step but shows great instincts in play-feel and uses his body to direct his opponent and the flow of traffic.

Newton will need to add more upper-body strength. He has narrow shoulders and plays with a really inconsistent pad level. Late in games, he goes through the motions too often. He will likely be limited as a rotational player to begin his career.

11. Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
12. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
13. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
14. Dallas Turner, Esge, Alabama
15. Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
16. Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
17. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
18. Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
19. JC Latham, T, Alabama
20. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

I wrote about Quinyon Mitchell on my cornerback prospect rankings page:

It's rare to already be a technician at the position, but that's the appeal of Mitchell, who has rocketed up draft boards since the beginning of the evaluation period. He's a terrific frame and tackler; the fundamentals are all there.

Some may view him as a nickel corner, which may pull him down the draft board for those teams. He plays fast and shows some of the best incoming rookie footwork for a corner I've ever seen.

Great at the point of attack. High points the ball well and is disruptive when the ball arrives. He ran fast at the combine and probably surprised folks with his burst and straight-line speed - a terrific all-around prospect with an early first-round grade, pushing into the top 15.

21. Amarius Mims, T, Georgia
22. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
23. Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
24. Graham Barton, OL, Duke
25. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
26. J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
27. Jackson Powers-Johnson, OL, Oregon
28. Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
29. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
30. Zach Frazier, OL, West Virginia

MMS discussed McCarthy at length in a recent profile:

There is no denying that he's a tough, gritty player, however, at the end of the day, he lacks the physical talent needed to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL. Somebody is going to draft him way too high and set their franchise back another five years. The fans will love him, his teammates will love him, and it would be a great story if he could tough and intangible his way to being a star quarterback. Unfortunately, that's just not how things work in real life. 

31. Tyler Guyton, T, Oklahoma
32. Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
33. Jordan Morgan, T, Arizona
34. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
35. Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
36. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
37. Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
38. Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
39. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
40. Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan

Guyton and Morgan were the No. 7 and 9 ranked players in my OT prospect rankings. 

In his best fits article, MMS broke down Xavier Worthy's best potential landing spot:

The answer to this is simple and it's the Miami Dolphins. Their offense is predicated on timing and speed, and no one fits that mold quite like Worthy, who ran the fastest 40 of all time at the 2024 NFL Combine.

It's possible he will fall to the second round, however, we find it unlikely. With speed and film like he has it feels inevitable that someone will snag him earlier than expected. The Dolphins should probably draft a big man on the line, whether it be on offense or defense. With that said, will they be able to resist a player with this kind of speed? We aren't so sure they can. 

41. Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
42. Kingsley Suamataia, T, BYU
43. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
44. Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
45. T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
46. Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
47. Ennis Rakestraw, CB, Missouri
48. Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
49. Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
50. Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama
51. Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State
52. Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
53. Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
54. Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
55. Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
56. Christian Haynes, OL, Connecticut
57. Darius Robinson, DT, Missouri
58. Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
59. Patrick Paul, T, Houston
60. Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky

Edgerrin Cooper is my No. 1 linebacker. 

Cooper is at the top of the position group among those in the 2024 NFL Draft. That said, he may not hear his name until close to the middle of the second round. With great speed that tracks sideline to sideline, Cooper has an excellent baseline of talents that should attract evaluators.

A beat slow in diagnosing plays. Cooper too often gets washed out in pursuit, lacking the vision to avoid a second-level block or drawing contact in pursuit. Struggles to disengage when found within arm’s reach of a blocker. 

He goes for the big hit a touch too frequently instead of wrapping up consistently. He has above-average feel and timing when sent on a blitz. Sometimes, he plays out of control and too downhill with inconsistent lines to the ball. Cooper is still a bit raw and will need a year on the sideline before becoming a regular starter.

61. Adisa Isaac, Edge, Penn State
62. Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State
63. Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington
64. Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
65. Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
66. Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
67. Jonah Elliss, Edge, Utah
68. Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
69. Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan
70. Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

I've got Marshawn Kneeland ranked as my No. 7 EDGE in this class. And Ruke Orhorhoro is my No. 5 ranked defensive tackle.

A really raw prospect with moments that shine on tape, Orhorhoro is a "first guy off the bus" type of player. The question is whether he can convert his physique into consistent, proper technique to play within a specific role.

He plays with a reliable pad level but sometimes seems to play with blinders on, not driving properly towards the play. His pass-rush wins have more to do with quickness than hand placement, counters or instincts.

Orhorhoro shows a nice but inconsistent mean streak, seemingly getting frustrated and running with great arm violence. Coaches must harness these small moments and channel his power more effectively. He has big potential and could be a starter by his second year.

71. Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee
72. Javon Baker, WR, Central Florida
73. Blake Fisher, T, Notre Dame
74. Brandon Dorlus, DT, Oregon
75. Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
76. Roger Rosengarten, T, Washington
77. Kiran Amegadjie, T, Yale
78. Austin Booker, Edge, Kansas
79. Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
80. Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas

Dominick Puni is my No. 8 ranked IOL in this class. Morales-Smith has Wright as his No. 3 ranked RB.

81. Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
82. Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State
83. MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC
84. Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
85. Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
86. Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
87. Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
88. Christian Mahogany, OL, Boston College
89. Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State
90. Brandon Coleman, T, TCU

Kamren Kitchens is my No. 3 ranked safety in this class.

Kinchens is an undersized safety who plays like he's 10 feet tall. He's looking to dislodge, disarm and impact every play. He has a great sense of timing and plays with cat-and-mouse tactics to force quarterbacks into bad throws. 

He lacks the ideal straight-line speed needed to cover everything effectively as a free safety. Inconsistent recognition led to big plays allowed and blown coverages. His athleticism and short-area burst aren't there.

Toughness is off the charts and a lead-by-example player. He has room to grow if he can become more flexible in his lower half and contribute more in man coverage. Kinchens ranks as an early third-round option.

91. Calen Bullock, S, USC
92. Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
93. Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
94. Mohamed Kamara, Edge, Colorado State
95. Cole Bishop, S, Utah
96. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
97. T'Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
98. Jalyx Hunt, Edge, Houston Baptist
99. Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington
100. Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin

Cole Bishop is my No. 4 ranked safety in this class.

Bishop's plus athleticism and tenacious style of play are attracting the eyes of scouts. His thin frame could use more mass, but there's a good template for his game's versatility.

Bishop excels at using his length as an advantage in coverage by jarring balls loose and keeping his body between the ball and the receiver. His above-average man coverage skills can be impressive, but he relies a lot on peeking at the quarterback's eyes, which can also lead to trouble. 

He navigates traffic well, and his hard running style looks good when he can swarm the ball carrier. However, blockers swallow him up, and Bishop needs to improve his ability to use good footwork to hold the edge or not over-pursue, which creates cutback lanes.

Bishop projects as a mid-Day 2 draft pick.