Star prospects like USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. command a bulk of the attention, but hundreds of players are ready to hear their name called in the 2024 NFL draft. Only 32 will be announced in the first round, though.
The second day will bring 68 more selections. From there, the draft becomes a game of educated guesses and a little bit of hope.
Any player added in the fourth round—the 101st pick or later—who becomes a key contributor is often remembered as a steal.
Using the latest rankings from B/R’s NFL Scouting DepartmentI’ve picked 10 of my favorite prospects ranked 101st or below. The list, consequently, is subjective but reflects the group of low-rated players I believe can develop into starting-caliber contributors in the NFL.
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On paper, Dallin Holker is a good example of understanding what value a prospect is most likely to provide.
If you’re hoping for a blocking in-line tight end, move along. Holker has much to improve both technically and physically before he’ll secure an every-down role in the NFL.
Need a reliable target in the middle who handles contact? He’s your guy.
A transfer from BYU, Holker excelled in his lone season at Colorado State. He caught 64 passes for 767 yards—the most in the country at his position—and six touchdowns.
B/R’s NFL Scouting Department ranked him 163rd in the class, so he could be a major value on Day 3 of the draft.
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Jacob Cowing had a fascinating five-year run in college.
While at UTEP, he was a dynamic threat with 18.4 yards per catch on 141 receptions in three seasons. He topped out at 1,354 yards with seven touchdowns in 2021.
The wideout then transferred to Arizona, where he shifted into a high-volume role. Cowing hauled in a then-career-high 85 catches in 2022 and then jumped to 90 this past season. He scored 20 touchdowns in his two years with the Wildcats.
Cowing checked in at just 5’8″ and 168 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he also lit the track ablaze with a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. That was the fifth-fastest time of any receiver at the combine.
Cowing is small relative to most players at his position, but his blend of production and speed is enticing for a prospect who’s ranked 151st on the latest B/R big board.
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Once he earned a significant role at Penn State in 2022, Johnny Dixon was a steady contributor for the Nittany Lions.
The main appeal for a cornerback should be his coverage skills. Dixon executed that job well, collecting three interceptions and 13 pass breakups over the past two seasons while rarely getting beat for explosive plays.
He offered a different kind of impact, too.
Dixon only rushed the passer a few times per game, yet he often disrupted the play. During the last two seasons, Dixon amassed 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
If Dixon is anything close to a Mike Hilton-lite in that regard, he could be a major draft-day steal. He’s currently 136th overall on the B/R big board.
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Troy boasted one of the nation’s most disruptive defenses in 2023, and Javon Solomon had a pivotal role in that success.
Last season, the Troy standout racked up 18 tackles for loss and a nation-leading 16 sacks along with three forced fumbles. Solomon also posted 24 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks across the two previous years combined.
Solomon is a solid Day 3 candidate who tested well athletically at the combine. Along with a 4.72-second 40-yard dash, he showed great explosiveness with a 37-inch vertical and 9’11” broad jump.
He’s 142nd overall and the 16th-ranked edge-rusher on B/R’s latest big board.
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Jacob Cowing doesn’t have the prototypical size of an NFL receiver. Neither does Malik Washingtonanother 5’8″ target.
Height certainly helps, but a wideout doesn’t need to win a bunch of contested catches to be productive in the NFL. Washington is adept at creating space with his sudden and explosive change of direction.
After spending four years at Northwestern, Washington transferred to Virginia in 2023. During his lone season with the Cavaliers, he pulled in a nation-best 110 catches for 1,426 yards and nine touchdowns.
Washington likely won’t develop into a superstar, but he could become a valuable complementary piece. He’s 125th on B/R’s latest big board, which could make him a strong fourth-round value.
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Sione Vaki is too talented to not catch on in the NFL, right?
During his final season at Utah, the safety produced 51 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. He also rushed for 317 yards while averaging 7.5 yards per carry, caught 11 passes for 203 yards and totaled five touchdowns in his part-time offensive role.
Vaki isn’t destined to attain two-way stardom in the NFL. However, he’s ranked 175th on the latest B/R big board, which suggests he’ll be a fifth- or sixth-round pick.
Vaki is a prime candidate to carve out a small defensive and key special teams role in the NFL. Just because he might not occupy the spotlight doesn’t mean he won’t be a Day 3 steal.
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It’s possible for a Wisconsin lineman to bust. But I’m taking my chances on a Day 3 blocker from the program.
Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network created the “Relative Athletic Score” metric to help quantify each NFL prospect’s combination of size, speed, explosiveness and agility. Tanor Bortolini graded out as the 33rd-highest of any offensive guard since 1987.
Yeah, I’ll swing for a home run here.
Bortolini also brings the value of versatility. He briefly started at right tackle in 2021, shifted to guard (both sides) in 2022 and was the Badgers’ center in a new-look offense last year.
Bortolini is only the 118th-ranked prospect on the latest B/R big board, but he’s a potential Day 3 option with an excellent athletic profile and the ability to move around the line.
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Unfortunately, a late-season leg injury sidelined offensive guard Zak Zinter during Michigan’s run to the national championship and throughout the predraft process.
The tape has said enough, however.
Zinter entered the Wolverines’ starting lineup in the 2020 campaign and never relinquished his spot at right guard. He landed All-Big Ten honors in three seasons, including first-team recognition from the conference coaches in both 2022 and 2023.
I can already see former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh using a fourth- or fifth-round pick on Zinter, who then becomes a 10-year starter for the Los Angeles Chargers.
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“His dad played 13 years in the NFL” should not get someone drafted. Same for “his grandpa was an Olympic sprinter,” “his mom played soccer at Stanford” and “his brother is Christian McCaffrey.”
But it’s worth paying attention to Luke McCaffrey.
As part of the 2019 class, he enrolled at Nebraska as a quarterback. McCaffrey transferred to Rice in 2021, shifted to wide receiver in 2022 and caught 58 passes for 723 yards and six scores. Last year, he piled up 71 receptions for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns.
McCaffrey then ran a 4.46-second 40 at the combine. He also posted the fastest shuttle run and second-best three-cone time among receivers.
McCaffrey is only 185th on the latest B/R big board, which is understandable. He’s a recent convert to the position and put up those numbers opposite mostly AAC competition. Still, he’s clearly worth a late-round flier.
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Given that Devontez Walker is ranked 101st on the latest B/R big board, featuring him here almost feels like cheating. But No. 101 is technically the first pick of Day 3.
He might not remain on the board this long—and that isn’t a unique opinion. Walker is 6’2″ and posted a sizzling 4.36-second 40-yard run with a 40.5-inch vertical at the combine.
Other than him being 6’5″, what else could you want?
Walker snagged 11 touchdowns as a sophomore at Kent State and seven scores in eight appearances with North Carolina in 2023. He tallied 1,620 receiving yards across those two seasons.
How well he adapts to the physicality of the NFL may define his career, but Walker’s athletic skill set is phenomenal.
2024-03-30 11:03:49
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