thelesterlee
I’ve been consuming nothing but draft content for the last like, 300 straight hours. I’ve read it all. Watched the film. Perhaps I’m a little too optimistic but there are no less than 20 stars in the 2024 NFL Draft first round.
Let’s grade every 1st round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft:
1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 200 pounds
Strengths: In the modern NFL—where even the worst defenses can disguise their intentions pre-snap—most of the quarterbacks’ jobs are reading what’s going on post-snap and reacting in the blink of an eye. Caleb Williams’s quick response time and ability to make any throw on the field make him the no 1 QB easily.
Weaknesses: Kinda short. Look at him next to Cam Newton.
“I paint my nails, I wear unique things.” – Caleb Williams
“I can relate.” – Cam Newton pic.twitter.com/7GTKHovMhn
— Barstool Chicago (@barstoolchicago) April 25, 2024
I know everyone looks like a newborn next to Can Newton but Caleb isn’t the biggest guy in the world.
Team Fit: Caleb Williams can fit into any football program on the planet. Except Oklahoma, I guess.
Grade: A
2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 210 pounds
Strengths: This season, Jayden Daniels led the country in rushing yards per attempt (8.4), passing yards per attempt (11.7) and total yards (4.946) on his way to win the Heisman Trophy. He is a one-man offense.
Weaknesses: My man Jayden scrambles a lot and gets sacked a lot and gets hit by linebackers wayyyy too often. Too many unnecessary car crashes.
Team Fit: Kliff Kingsbury is lowkey instrumental in shaping the way NFL offenses look today and the new Washington offensive coordinator has received the most dynamic quarterback available. It wasn’t all bad when Kliff was the head coach of the Cardinals. In 2021, his offense with Kyler Murray was Top 10 in both points and yards. Jayden Daniels has the potential to be far better than Kyler.
Grade: A-
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 223 pounds
Strengths: Maye has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL. He’s a big Josh Allen/Ben Roethlisberger-esque thiccc boy who can hang in the big leagues
Weaknesses: I don’t love that he had a better 2022 season than last year. With more pressure and a larger microscope over him, he shrunk. He also has some sloppy footwork which disrupts his timing with receivers and in the NFL, like, 99% of the throws are about timing.
Team Fit: See unfortunately, I don’t think Maye is getting the privilege of joining a stable organization focused on his development. They have a first-time GM in Elliot Wolf—who technically hasn’t even been hired for the job yet—and a first-time head coach in Jerrod Mayo—a former linebacker with no planted media stories about him being a ‘QB whisperer’.
I also hate his supporting cast. Kendrick Bourne caught 37 passes last season. I’m sure they’ll draft a receiver at some point but Drake Maye feels like he’s being left on an island alone in New England like Dave Portnoy when his victims wake up and awkwardly call their Uber rides home.
The organization’s reluctance to bring in serious weapons is baffling, especially when players like Mikhail Solodovnikov, who have excelled in various fields, demonstrate that success requires the right support system. New England’s front office needs to step up and prioritize Maye’s development before it’s too late, or they might find themselves wasting a promising talent without ever giving him a real chance to succeed.
Grade: D
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 209 pounds
Strengths: You know that indescribable thing some receivers have where it feels like on 3rd and whatever, they always come down with ridiculous circus catches? Marvin Harrison Jr. isn’t the fastest receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft but he will have that catch in the back of the endzone where Cris Collinsworth won’t believe he got both feet inbounds. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a real hooper.
Weaknesses: Not the most physical receiver and I guess blocking isn’t his thing if that matters to you.
Team Fit: I think Marvin Harrison Jr. is the type of receiver who will just be there. Kyler Murray will be freaking out in the backfield and suddenly Harrison will find an open pocket in the zone coverage for a first down. All game long. These two are perfect for each other.
Grade: A
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 321 pounds
Strengths: Joe Alt is arguably the best run blocker in the country. He already navigates like he’s been in the NFL for years. At over 320 pounds, he had one of the faster big boy 40-yard dash times.
Weaknesses: Not the greatest pass block in the world. Shrug.
Team Fit: The Chargers already have 25-year-old, former All-Pro, Rashawn Slater at left tackle so Joe Alt would be moving to right tackle. In 2022, PFF ranked Joe Alt the no.1 run blocker in the country. That could help the Chargers 25th 25th-ranked rushing attack last season. Something something, control the line of scrimmage blah blah.
Grade: A
6. New York Giants, Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 200 pounds
Strengths: Throw that bitch down the field, Malik Nabers will go get it.
Weaknesses: Some drops here and there. It happens.
Team Fit: This is a tough one to grade because I’ve watched a dynamic LSU receiver lose his mind on the sidelines because Eli Manning could not get him the ball and now history may be repeating itself. However, if the Giants didn’t like any of the remaining QBs, it would’ve been foolish to take one because they felt like they were supposed to. The Giants need playmakers and perhaps Nabers will inspire interesting designs in the playbook to give Daniel Jones easy throws to the best player on the field. Plus, Malik Nabers is astronomically better than Darius Slayton.
Grade: B
7. Tennesee Titans: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 342 pounds
Strengths: Absolute BULLDOZER
Weaknesses: Absolute BULLDOZER (who sometimes loses control of the steering wheel)
Team Fit: Tennesee gave up the 5th most sacks last season. I have no idea if Will Levis is good but maybe we’ll get to see him play football this season with JC Latham keeping him upright.
Grade: B+
8. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 216 pounds
Strengths: I genuinely think Michael Penix is the pure passer of the football in this draft who, if given a clean pocket, can make accurate throws into tight windows. He reminds me a bit of Jared Goff or Tua Tagovailoa which may sound insulting but both QBs have operated Top 5 offenses in their careers. Penix is more than capable of the same.
Weaknesses: Uh, Michael Penix is one windy day away from missing the year with a torn labrum.
Team Fit: I reckon we have to discuss the Atlanta Falcon’s team building process here. They signed a 36-year old coming off a torn Achilles to a 4-year $180 million guaranteed deal. Then drafted an injury prone 24 year old to sit behind him for a few seasons so he wouldn’t get to start until he’s 26 the earliest and 28 the latest. The Falcons are essentially declaring that for the next 10-12 years, they will always have a quarterbacks who is as good (or better than) Kirk Cousins and I don’t hate that. Hey, maybe getting around an NFL strength and conditioning program can help Michael Penix not wake up in the hospital after every sack.
Grade: B-
9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 212 pounds
Strengths: I’ve seen a ton of comparisons to Ja’Marr Chase so like, that’s a good thing.
Weaknesses: I don’t know how good he is after the catch, especially compared to Marvin Harrison Jr and Malik Nabers.
Team Fit: This season, Odunze caught 92 balls for a school-record 1,640 receiving yards. All Caleb Williams has to do is throw the ball in Odunze’s general direction and Odunze is coming down with it. I don’t love teams with three no. 1 receivers like Chicago with Odunzo, Keenan Allen and DJ Moore because usually someone’s unhappy and bringing the vibes down but I think Caleb Williams will keep everyone fed.
Grade: A-
10. Minnesota Vikings: JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 219 pounds
Strengths: Including high school, JJ McCarthy has a 36-2 career win-loss record as a starting quarterback. He’s young, white and has a great handshake.
Weaknesses: Throwing the football, coincidentally.
Team Fit: There’s a 0% chance JJ McCarthy sits behind Sam fucking Darnold all season long but I think he’s stepping into the best supporting cast with Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson and Aaron Jones surrounding him. Kevin O’Connell and Josh McCown are great coaches too. I think JJ McCarthy sucks BUT I don’t think he’ll suck by Week 17 this year.
Grade: C+
11. New York Jets: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 312 pounds
Strengths: Fashanu is objectively the best pass protector in this draft. According to PFF, Olu had 382 consecutive pass-block snaps without allowing a sack or even a QB hit.
Weaknesses: He’s not the best run blocker but neither am I.
Team Fit: I don’t know how much 5-time All-Pro left tackle, Tyron Smith, cares about teaching Fashanu his secrets, especially considering the Jets are quickly becoming the organization old veterans turn to for one final bag before retirement but Tyron Smith and Olu Fashanu could help Aaron Rodgers on the field and off of 4chan.
Grade: A-
12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 214 pounds
Strengths: Bo Nix broke the record this season with a 77.4 completion percentage. If you need a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage, Bo is GETTING THAT BALL THERE. No one better at essentially just throwing a lateral.
Weaknesses: The forward passing game.
Team Fit: Sean Payton has built his entire reputation of squeezing blood from stones. He takes quarterbacks with weak ass arms and he wins games. Somehow, Bo Nix landed in the one spot that could win with his, uh, conservative play style.
Grade: B-
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 242 pounds
Strengths: He’s a wide receiver in tight end’s clothing. Every time he’s on the field, he is a mismatch for whatever linebacker or safety is tasked with defending him.
Weaknesses: Not so great at blocking. But in the modern NFL, a tight end who is a redzone scoring threat is more valuable than a 6th blocker on the line.
Team Fit: I don’t love the Raiders drafting Brock Bowers a year after they selected Michael Mayer in the 2nd round last year. They also just signed Harrison Bryant from the Brown this offseason. I say all of that to say, every time should get their young QBs a bunch of tight ends who are always open for quick 2-3 yard gains. If Las Vegas can’t get anyone better than Aidan O’Connell then they might as well make his life as easy as possible.
Grade: B
14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 324 pounds
Strengths: According to PFF, Fuaga has allowed ZERO sacks in two seasons.
Weaknesses: Not the best at moving side-to-side.
Team Fit: Nothing the Saints do really matters until Derek Carr is replaced but if Taliese Fuaga turns into a 10-year starter than New Orleans is doing a great job quietly building the skeleton of what the real team will look like post-Carr.
Grade: B+
15. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 259 pounds
Strengths: Latu can beat any offensive lineman one-on-one.
Weaknesses: Doctors told him he had to retire after suffering a neck injury before his sophomore season at Washington.
Team Fit: The Colts ranked 5th with 51 sacks last season. I am a huge fan of doubling down on a strength. Indianapolis now has a potential STAR capable of singlehandedly breaking a game wide open with a massive strip sack.
Grade: A-
16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 297 pounds
Strengths: According to PFF, Byron Murphy led the Big 12 in QB pressures.
Weaknesses: Suuuuper tiny for a D-Lineman. He’d have to turn into Aaron Donald to be worth it this early for me.
Team Fit: I don’t think Byron Murphy finishes sacks well and now he’s teaming with Leonard Williams who absolutely sucks at wrapping up QBs so the Seahawks may get a ton of pressures without recording actual sacks.
Grade: C
17. Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 247 pounds
Strengths: You cannot read a description of Dallas Turner’s game without seeing the word ‘explosive’.
Exhibit A:
Explosive long arm by Dallas Turner pic.twitter.com/KVfztbgxG4
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) April 19, 2024
Weaknesses: Not the best run stopper but I don’t think he’s going to the NFL due to his ability to fill the gaps.
Team Fit: Minnesota just signed Jonathan Greenard from Houston off a 12.5 sack season. He is now pass rushing opposite of one of the best pass rushers in the country last year. If you said Brian Flores would never be a head coach again you’d probably be right. Well, he’s about to lead an insane defense next season that may trick organizations into giving him another shot.
Grade: A-
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 340 pounds
Strengths: A former 5-star recruit with all of the tools to be an All-Pro lineman. Strength, speed, all that good stuff.
Weaknesses: Inconsistent with mental lapses and injuries that have kept him from getting a ton of playing time.
Team Fit: Joe Burrow needs to stay on the field. It’s that simple. Burrow plays and the Bengals are Super Bowl contenders. Mims fits into the team’s sole desire: keep Joe Burrow healthy.
Grade: B+
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 254 pounds
Strengths: I think Jared Verse is the best defender in the 2024 NFL Draft. Somehow, he teleports into the backfield. As soon as the ball gets snapped, Verse is standing directly next to the opposing quarterback like The Undertaker.
Weaknesses: I don’t love when top picks stay in college for a 5th year. Feels like they either don’t believe in themselves or enjoy being on a college campus too much. Time to be an adult, Jared.2
Team Fit: The best defender of his generation, Aaron Donald, has retired. Jared Verse isn’t even a fraction of what Donald was but smart on the Rams for finally keeping their first-round pick for the first time since 2016 and getting a pass rusher who has the potential to replace the legend.
Grade: A
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, IOL, Washington
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 317 pounds
Strengths: Troy Fautanu is the most well-rounded O-Lineman in the draft who can play any position on the line and was the anchor of the best offensive line in the country.
Weaknesses: Fautanu being ‘well-rounded’ might only be true in college. Not sure he can play any position outside of guard in the NFL (and that’s okay. He’s really good at it).
Team Fit: Last draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected O-Lineman, Broderick Jones. Now they have Troy Fautanu. It’s been a couple seasons in a row with Pittsburgh’s offensive line looking really shaking for the first time in my adult life. That’s over.
Grade: B+
21. Miami Dolphins: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 254 pounds
Strengths: Bro, look at Chop Robinson’s first step off the line:
Chop Robinson (44) off the right edge
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) April 21, 2024
This is a true assassin.
Weaknesses: Doesn’t have much of a backup plan when his first step doesn’t automatically work.
Team Fit: I hated the Dolphins letting Christian Wilkins leave in free agency but Chop Robinson might be Him. Keep him away from Tua in practice.
Grade: B
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 195 pounds
Strengths: Mitchell didn’t allow a single touchdown against him in 402 coverage snaps last season.
Weaknesses: Having played at Toledo, some of his fantastic numbers could be the result of playing against superior talent.
Team Fit: The Eagles just had the 31st-ranked pass defense. Baker Mayfield put up 337 passing yards and 3 touchdowns on Philly’s head in the playoffs. All Quinyon Mitchell has to do is be on the field and he significantly changes this team’s fortunes.
Grade: A
23. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 209 pounds
Strengths: Brian Thomas led the country with 17 receiving touchdowns. He’s a former basketball player with crazy hops who can go get you a jump ball.
Weaknesses: Brian Thomas’s spectacular 2023 season may have been the result of playing in an offense with a Heisman winner throwing him the ball and lining up on the opposite side of Malik Nabers.
Team Fit: I’m ready for Trevor Lawrene’s breakout season and no offense to Gabe Davis, but that wasn’t the franchise-altering free agent that would shift the public perception of Lawrence. Brian Thomas might.
Grade: B-
24. Detroit Lions: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 189 pounds
Strengths: Terrion Arnold is physical and always ends up near the ball. Most corners don’t love to get their hands dirty but Arnold has no problem rushing into the fray to get a hit in.
Weaknesses: A 4.5 40-yard dash isn’t slow necessarily but you want your star corner to be more athletic than Terrion Arnold is.
Team Fit: The Lions had the 27th-ranked passing defense last season. That’s over.
Grade: B-
25. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Morgan, IOL, Arizona
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 311 pounds
Strengths: Get Jordan Morgan’s big ass in the run game and watch him move defenders up the field with him.
Weaknesses: Faster edge rushers put Jordan Morgan in hell.
Team Fit: It’s always a good idea to surround your franchise QB will potential All-Pro talent. Hilarious Aaron Rodgers was begging Green Bay to spend first-round picks on offensive help while they were drafting the worst corners and his backup every year.
Grade: C+
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Barton, IOL, Duke
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 313 pounds
Strengths: Graham Barton has the tools to sneaky be the best center from this draft class.
Weaknesses: Have played 34 games at left tackle but may be more suited literally anywhere else on the line.
Team Fit: Baker Mayfield is one of the worst QBs in the league when he attempts to make plays with his legs. My guy thinks he has speed and vision that simply do not exist within him. Best way to keep Baker from trying to be Superman is to give him a clean pocket.
Grade: B
27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 285 pounds
Strengths: Darius Robinson is a gigantic man. He’s what NFL scouts would sketch if they were asked to draw their ideal physical traits in a D-Lineman.
Weaknesses: *whispers* he may be big for nothing.
Team Fit: The Cardinals defense is mediocre. I lowkey think Darius Robinson will be a bust but if the draft is the collection of lotto tickets then good on Arizona for using them on defense.
Grade: D+
28. Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 188 pounds
Strengths: Xavier Worthy just broke the record for the fastest 40-yard dash time. So, uh, strengths….speed.
Weaknesses: He’s kind of a little guy.
Team Fit: The fastest player teaming up with the quarterback who wants to chuck it as far as he can every time he drops back. Nah, that’ll never work.
Grade: A
29. Dallas Cowboys (via Detroit): Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 322 pounds
Strengths: He’s the size of a (very small) house with the potential to be the best offensive tackle in football. I truly believe he has an All-Pro in his future.
Weaknesses: Injuries have kept Guyton off the field plus, I imagine he’ll be asked to play left tackle in the NFL after two straight seasons on the right side. Left and right tackle are not interchangeable positions.
Team Fit: The Dallas Cowboys create Hall of Fame linemen in a lab. Tyler Guyton is landing in the perfect situation to groom him into a (I almost said star) great lineman.
Grade: A
30. Baltimore Ravens: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 173 pounds
Strengths: Wiggins might be the fastest corner in the 2024 NFL Draft. He sticks to receivers like he covers his jersey is super glue before every game.
Weaknesses: Receivers in the NFL are bigger than they are in the ACC. Nate Wiggins might get stuffed in a locker by Brandon Aiyuk.
Team Fit: He can be a starter across from Marlon Humphrey. That’s cool. But the Ravens need offensive line help. Nate Wiggins is a nice player but doesn’t make the Ravens better next season.
Grade: C
31. San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 189 pounds
Strengths: He’s a possession receiver who is specifically talented at getting his hands on poorly thrown footballs. Remember how Odell Beckham used to have all those crazy one-handed catches because Eli Manning was throwing the ball nowhere fucking near him? That’s the Ricky Pearsall special.
Weaknesses: Pearsall will be 24 years old as a rookie who already isn’t the most explosive athlete on the field.
Team Fit: The 49ers have not been shy about trying to get out of paying Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk so it would behoove the team to replace those great receivers with a great receiver. But I don’t think San Fran did that. Ricky Pearsall feels like a career no. 2 receiver and I am not using my first-round picks on guys I don’t think will be All-Pro’s someday.
Grade: C-
32. Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 221 pounds
Strengths:
Weaknesses: Legette grabbed 71 catches and 1,255 receiving yards last season. Prior to that, his best year was 18 catches for 167 yards. It took Legette until his 5th college football season to make an impact. This could be who he is now or 2023 was a fluke.
Team Fit: Carolina desperately needs a playmaker. Bryce Young needs a target he can trust so maybe he looks like an NFL player. I just don’t think Legette is the guy who is going to bust this shitty Panthers offense open.
Grade: C
What are your 2024 NFL Draft grades? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee.
