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The first round gets the hype, but rounds 2-7 can be just as important. Just ask the Raiders, who haven’t hit on a first round pick since 2019.
Today, we cover everything you should know from the other rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.
- 🔬 Examining later rounds
- 👨👩👧👦 49ers’ WR situation
- 📃 Zeke returns to Dallas
NFL Draft 2024: Rounds 2-7
After discussing first-round picks last Friday, let’s dive into the Day 2 and 3 selections, round by round. If you’re looking for a specific team, Dane Brugler’s team-by-team rankings are a must.
Round 2: WRs
The second-round WR class in 2019 was legendary, with Deebo Samuel (No. 36), A.J. Brown (No. 51) and DK Metcalf (No. 64) becoming stars. This year’s second-round WR group has potential, including the three who went in the round’s first five picks:
- The Bills got their Stefon Diggs replacement with FSU WR Keon Coleman at No. 33. Josh Allen is a fan of the 20-year-old WR, a shopping guru who will be expected to contribute early, likely as the starting X receiver.
- The Chargers traded up to draft Georgia WR Ladd McConkey at No. 34. The most QB-friendly target in the draft, McConkey can play inside and outside. The Athletic’s film guru Ted Nguyen adds: “He’s [also] exceptional after the catch.”
- The Patriots drafted Washington WR Ja’Lynn Polk at No. 37, hoping his length and catch radius offer a safety net for rookie QB Drake Maye. It was a safe pick of a prospect Chad Graff projects similarly to Jakobi Meyers.
- The Colts stopped Texas WR Adonai Mitchell’s fall at No. 52. A first-round talent, the 6-2, 205 pound Mitchell ran a 4.34 40-yard dash but dropped due to anonymous character criticism, something GM Chris Ballard did not appreciate. Mitchell was angry, too.
Other Round 2 notes:
- Defensive tackles went No. 35, 36, 38 and 39. The most polarizing was the Titans’ T’Vondre Sweat, No. 129 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 after a DWI arrest in early April.
- The Raiders continued to draft the best player available with Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson at No. 44. It was their best value pick of the draft (No. 30 on The Athletic’s consensus big board).
- The Eagles landed the best-value CBs in the first round and the second round, when they traded up to draft Iowa CB Cooper DeJean at No. 40, a player they’d considered in the first.
- The Panthers made Texas’ Jonathan Brooks the first RB taken. In Brooks’ first year back from an ACL tear, he’ll compete with Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard.
Round 3: RBs and upside
Three intriguing running backs went in the third round:
- The Cardinals landed FSU RB Trey Benson at No. 66, a player Jake Ciely said in his fantasy football takeaways “has Nick Chubb upside and Gus Edwards usage as his floor.” Benson will back up 29-year-old James Conner, who has missed four games each of the past two years and enters the final year of his contract.
- The Rams drafted Michigan RB Blake Corum No. 83. Corum is expected to backup the oft-injured Kyren Williams, a player HC Sean McVay compared Corum to. This similarity allows the team to maintain its scheme and use both interchangeably.
- The Packers added USC RB MarShawn Lloyd with the No. 88 pick. Lloyd, who considered himself the best RB in the draft, offers an explosive pass-catching threat behind newly signed Josh Jacobs.
Other round 3 notes:
- The Steelers are thrilled with their draft class. The third round helped, as NC State LB Payton Wilson (No. 98) has top-20 talent and won college football’s best defensive player award. Michigan WR Roman Wilson (No. 84) is a perfect fit for the short/intermediate routes Diontae Johnson vacated.
- The Cowboys had another impressive draft, turning the No. 24 pick into two starters. Dallas traded down from 24 to 29 while adding a third-round pick. They then drafted Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton (No. 29) and Kansas State G Cooper Beebe (No. 73). Dane Brugler had Beebe — who could start at center — 38th on his big board.
Rounds 4 and 5: Great fits
- The Broncos started round four by trading up to No. 102 for WR Troy Franklin, QB Bo Nix’s former teammate who set school records for receiving yards and touchdowns at Oregon. This was about more than grabbing a familiar target, as Denver had a second-round grade on Franklin.
- The Dolphins landed another fast RB in Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright at No. 120. Wright led college football’s top level with 7.4 yards per carry and joins a loaded backfield that was plagued by injuries in 2023.
- The 49ers traded up for Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo at No. 129, a lightning-fast player compared to Raheem Mostert who will compete with Elijah Mitchell behind Christian McCaffrey. He might be their best value pick.
- In round five, the Saints drafted a potential Derek Carr replacement in South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler, a steal at No. 150 — especially given how early the other QBs went in this draft. He was No. 72 in Brugler’s Top 300.
- The Titans’ best value pick was Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., as the 112th-ranked player in Brugler’s rankings fell 34 spots below projection. He’ll likely fill the slot corner role in a group that includes L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awunzie.
Rounds 6 and 7: Athletes
- The Cowboys snagged a gem in the sixth round with Southeast Missouri State WR Ryan Flournoy, a potential starter with an athletic profile that put him on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. People say he plays like Dez Bryant.
- The Jaguars took a chance in the seventh round by landing Texas Tech edge Myles Cole, a 6-6, 278-pound player with top-100 physical traits but minimal production (just five sacks in six college seasons).
- Bruce Feldman’s favorite value pick in Round 7? Raiders CB MJ Devonshire (No. 229), a Pittsburgh alumni who Feldman thinks will emerge as a starting corner.
- Mr. Irrelevant: S Jaylen Key, Alabama. The Jets made their sole pick at safety on Key, who could make their roster as a third or fourth option. I’m not expecting a Brock Purdy-like career.
What Dianna’s Hearing: Three nuggets from a busy weekend
I spoke to Deebo Samuel and asked his reaction to the 49ers’ drafting of his potential replacement in Florida WR Ricky Pearsall and to the reports that the team had explored trading him. “I know what’s going on,” he said, “but it is what it is. I’m good staying with them. I’m chilling.”
The Broncos drafted QB Bo Nix at No. 12 despite almost every other team projecting him as a low-end starter or backup. Sean Payton told me he believes in Nix as strongly as he did Patrick Mahomes. That’s high praise at a position Payton must deliver on after being unable to “fix” Russell Wilson.
The Rams were working the phones hard to trade into the first round on Thursday night. Why? Georgia TE Brock Bowers, who Sean McVay was obsessed with during the weeks before the draft. Bowers landed in Vegas.
Back to you, Jacob.
Dallas Cowboys add Ezekiel Elliott
After missing on running backs throughout the draft, the Cowboys agreed to terms with RB Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott is currently the Cowboys’ third all-time leading rusher, posting 8,262 yards in seven seasons in Dallas before he was cut last offseason.
In 2023, Zeke’s 2,500-plus career touches appeared to have caught up with him, as the 28-year-old RB posted career lows in yards per carry (3.49) and rushing yards (642). Still a valuable addition, he caught a solid 51 passes for 300-plus yards while offering elite pass-protection.
This was the best-case-scenario, as Jerry Jones still believes Elliott can start. He might need to, as their backfield consists of Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Royce Freeman. We have more on the signing here.
Around the NFL
WR Tank Dell sustained a minor wound in a Florida shooting. He has since been released from the hospital and is in “good spirits.” Thoughts are with him and his family.
The Broncos acquired DE John Franklin-Myers from the Jets for a 2026 sixth-round pick. New York clears cap space, while the Broncos add a locker room leader who improves their league-worst run defense.
The Eagles agreed to terms with OT Mekhi Bectonformerly of the Jets, on a one-year contract worth up to $5.5M.
Now, time to prep for those dynasty fantasy football drafts. Jeff Haverlack shared his Superflex mock.
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(Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
2024-04-29 22:58:31
#NFL #Draft #Recap #Rounds
