Category: 2024 NFL draft

This 2024 mock draft has the Saints picking a first-round defensive back

This 2024 mock draft has the Saints picking a first-round defensive back, reuniting Jordan Howden with his college teammate Tyler Nubin:

Which position will the New Orleans Saints prioritize in the 2024 NFL draft? Their poor scoring output on offense has fans daydreaming about a quarterback or wide receiver in the first round, but this projection from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon has the Saints targeting a defensive back at No. 12 overall: Minnesota Golden Gophers safety Tyler Nubin.

Here’s what Risdon had to say about Nubin as a prospect:

Nubin has stepped up his coverage and positional versatility in 2023, elevating his draft value. The Saints defense needs some youthful invigoration, and Nubin’s spirited play makes for a very nice fit.

A former four-star recruit from Saint Charles, Ill., Nubin is a high-end athlete listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. He’s also already on New Orleans radar after the Saints drafted his teammate Jordan Howden earlier this year. Nubin has improved each season, particularly with missed tackles. He’s missed just three tackles on 300-plus defensive snaps this season. While Howden primarily covered the slot when they were playing together, Nubin has more often lined up over the top of the Golden Gophers defense at free safety.

Safety could be an early-round consideration for the Saints next offseason. Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye will both be entering the final year of their contracts. Howden was drafted to develop into a candidate who could take over for one of them, but it wouldn’t hurt to add someone else to the mix.

In the first round, though? At No. 12 overall (which is where the Saints would be picking if the draft started today)? And passing on other prospects at premium positions like Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse (picked at No. 13) and Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton (taken at No. 14)? That wouldn’t be a smart move.

There’s an argument for picking Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (No. 16), too, even though Derek Carr’s contract makes it impossible to move him until 2025. It’s possible Nabin could be the best player available, but it’s unlikely he would be the highest-rated player on New Orleans’ board.

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2024 mock draft: Updated projections after NFL Week 4

2024 mock draft: Updated projections for NFL Week 5 from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

For the first few weeks of the college football season, Curt Popejoy has handled the mock draft projection duties here at Draft Wire. This week, it’s my turn to crank out my very first set of 2024 projections.

As with all of the mock drafts I do with one exception every year, these projections represent what I think the team might do with the pick at each selection. It does not necessarily reflect the choices I would make.

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The draft order here is the current NFL draft order after the conclusion of Week 4. There are some players included who are underclassmen that might not declare, most notably QBs Caleb Williams and Shedeur Sanders.

2024 NFL draft: Updated 1st-round draft order

Here is the current draft order after four games.

As we head into Week Five of the NFL season, it is time to once again update the order for the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. The Chicago Bears currently hold the top two picks in the first round thanks to their own futility as well as the futility of the Carolina Panthers. Could we see Chicago draft a replacement for quarterback Justin Fields with USC quarterback Caleb Williams? Or would the Bears look to add pieces around Fields to make him better?

As always these picks are based on record, strength of schedule and projections for the playoffs and Super Bowl.

Projecting the New Orleans Saints’ picks in the 2024 NFL draft

The current standings have shifted forecasts for the 2024 NFL draft. Here are where the Saints project to be picking, including a valuable Broncos pick acquired for Sean Payton:

Some New Orleans Saints fans have already shifted their focus to the 2024 NFL draft, and while we aren’t ready to pack it in and go that direction it is worth checking in on where the team could be picking. The trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Oct. 31 and it’s a good time to keep up with their assets.

The Saints have added a couple of selections from the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles through previous trades (for Sean Payton and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, respectively), and the latest forecasts have the Saints owning eight picks in the 2024 draft. Here’s where Tankathon slots them all into the 2024 draft order, reflecting the latest NFL standings:

  1. Round 1, pick 12
  2. Round 2, pick 35 (via Denver)
  3. Round 4, pick 137 (compensatory)
  4. Round 5, pick 153
  5. Round 5, pick 172 (compensatory)
  6. Round 5, pick 176 (compensatory)
  7. Round 6, pick 193
  8. Round 6, pick 210 (via Philadelphia)

It’s important to remember that those compensatory picks have not been awarded; we’re relying on predictions from Over The Caps’ analysts to fill those out. And those forecasts change each week. The comp picks formula is mostly reliant on contract information, but it also accounts for playtime. Players who log more snaps are seen as more valuable losses. Comp picks will be confirmed in March 2024, so they can’t be included in any trade talks.

When OTC’s predictions first went up the Saints were projected to receive two fourth-round comp picks (for David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport) and a sixth-round selection (for Kaden Elliss). Onyemata has met expectations with the Atlanta Falcons, but his teammate Elliss has surpassed them, recording 262 snaps in four games. That bumped his projection up to a fifth rounder.

It’s the opposite scenario for Davenport. He’s only tallied 49 snaps in two games with the Minnesota Vikings while managing an ankle injury. The fewer snaps he plays this season, the worse that comp pick coming back to New Orleans will be, even if he signed with the Vikings for $13 million.

What about the missing selections? The draft has seven rounds, after all. The Saints previously traded their second rounder (No. 43) to the Eagles as part of a package to get another first-round pick in 2022, which they invested in left tackle Trevor Penning. New Orleans also sent back their third rounder (No. 82) to the Broncos, which they view as having upgraded to a second-round choice. Their fourth-round pick (No. 117) belongs to the Jacksonville Jaguars through the draft-day trade to move up for backup quarterback Jake Haener. And the Saints sent their seventh rounder (No. 235) to the Houston Texans so they could bring running back Mark Ingram II home a couple years ago.

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Bo Nix is on a historic pace and is setting himself up for the 2024 NFL draft

Oregon QB Bo Nix is on a historic pace and is setting himself up nicely for the 2024 NFL draft

When talking about the top quarterbacks for the 2024 draft one that might have been slipping under the radar is the new and improved Oregon Duck version of Bo Nix. Embracing his status as the most veteran signal-caller in college football, Nix is showing extreme growth within this Oregon offense, tearing teams up on a weekly basis and showing off the talents that could land him in first-round conversation in NFL draft rooms.

On the season, Nix boasts one of the best completion percentages in the country with 80.4 as he leads one of the most efficient offenses down the field every Saturday. In his five games on the season, Nix has come away with 16 total touchdowns to just one interception. He has proven to be a snappy thrower of the ball, with a cannon arm, and possessing excellent processing ability.

This upcoming Saturday Nix will face his biggest challenge yet as he duals another potential first-round quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. and his talented Washington team, who also stands undefeated. If Nix can put on another showcase like he did against Colorado, he may well be marching his way into first-round conversation, and establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

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2024 NFL mock draft roundup: Ravens load up on defensive talent

We’re looking at the roundup for early 2024 NFL mock drafts and the Baltimore #Ravens are expected to pursue talent in the secondary via @Thacover2NFL

The Ravens are 3-1 and atop the AFC North, but it’s never too early for a look ahead to the 2024 NFL draft.

We recently looked at the mock drafts from around the country, and the consensus has Baltimore reloading on defense, especially in the secondary.

2024 NFL draft stock watch after CFB Week 5: Who’s up and who is trending down?

2024 NFL draft stock watch after CFB Week 5: Who’s up and who is trending down?

Another exciting and interesting weekend of college football wrapped for the potential prospects for the 2024 NFL draft. Over a month into the college season, we’re starting to see who is consistently performing and who is more variable from week to week.

It’s a season-long process evaluating players, of course. But there are great weeks and down weeks for (almost) every prospect along the way. Here’s who helped themselves in Week 5 and who didn’t have a great showing over the final days of September.

 

 

2024 NFL Draft: The Chicago Bears now have the first two picks!

You have to scramble for good news if you’re a Chicago Bears fan, but at least the 2024 draft is looking pretty good for these Monsters of the Midway.

Bears fans, you need some good news after your team blew a 28-7 third-quarter lead against the Denver Broncos on Sunday to lose 31-28. And we have you covered. Because the Bears are 0-4, and the Carolina Panthers are also 0-4 following their 21-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago has the first two picks in the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears have their own pick, and the pick they have from the Panthers in the trade Carolina made to go up to first overall in 2023 to pick Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

So, whoever’s the general manager in Chicago next year — we of course do not know if it will be Ryan Poles — that person has a pretty decent shot at controlling next year’s draft.

There’s a lot left to happen before that’s locked in, but based on the ways in which the Bears and Panthers have played… well, it’s never too early to think about what your favorite offense might look like with USC’s Caleb Williams at quarterback, and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. at receiver.

2024 NFL Draft prospect Michael Pratt shows flashes, how knee injury is still affecting him into Week 5

Tulane QB Michael Pratt continues to be limited after his return from a knee injury.

Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt entered the 2023 season as one of the top-rated signal-callers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

He’s since fallen some spots in the national rankings — in some outlets more than others — after he was sidelined for the biggest game of the season both on the Tulane schedule and for his own draft stock.

That contest was the eventual 37-20 loss to Ole Miss in what some believed would have been a winnable game if Pratt had been able to play and he was also ruled out of the game against Southern Miss, though head coach Willie Fritz did indicate that he was close to being able to play.

The reasoning behind Pratt’s absence was a knee injury he sustained in garbage time in the fourth quarter when Tulane has already built an extensive lead in the 37-17 victory over South Alabama in Week 1.

Since Pratt has come back, he’s had some uncharacteristic misses due to the way lower-body injuries affect a quarterback considering that accuracy starts from the ground up with sound lower-body mechanics.

Looking at the film between when Pratt was at full capacity in 2022 as well as the season opener in 2023 compared to the past two games tells the story of an issue that can only be attributed to the limitation of injury, rather than something more specific within his own control.

Among the misfires that stood out the most was an underthrown pass in the end zone that was intercepted by Nicholls State defender Markeyvrick Eddie in Week 4 after he had nearly thrown an interception to Eddie earlier in the game.

Pratt had multiple passes that sailed outside of the reach of his receivers during the 35-23 win in UAB in Week 5 as he was limited beyond his usual capacity on the ground as well due to the injury, though he did have two strong highlights in a 26-yard rush to move the chains for Tulane and a beautifully thrown 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lawrence Keys to put the game on ice in the fourth quarter.

“Yeah, I think any injury at any position is kind of tough,” Pratt said after the game when asked about how the injury was affecting him. “You just have to kind of take it day by day and do what you can and I think the knee is getting a lot better, so I’m excited about that.”

The transition from the 2021 season to the 2022 season in which Pratt led the most remarkable turnaround in college football history was the perfect showcase of just who he is as a player when he can remain healthy.

With a better supporting cast both that season and in the midst of this one, he’s going to need to continue to make preserving his health top priority to remain a prospect who can be in the mid or late-round conversation in the upcoming draft or the one after that.

Pratt has an additional couple of weeks to get healthy as he and the Green Wave have an open date in the upcoming week with what is set to be their toughest in-conference matchup against the Memphis Tigers on Friday, Oct. 13.