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Caleb Williams, Dallas Turner and more: Our favorite 2024 NFL Draft picks at each position

washingtonlatest
RedskinMay 10, 2024
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In a few years, when we dissect the 2024 NFL Draft for its hits and misses, it will be fascinating to break down the offensive-defensive disconnect. There were 23 offensive players taken in the first round, including every single one of the first 14 picks. It’s too early to evaluate whether the imbalance was warranted or whether the six quarterbacks taken within the top 12 selections just skewed the numbers.

For now, we’ll focus our attention on finding our favorite picks by position. We’re not necessarily choosing the best players (although, that does happen in some cases), but rather considering fit, talent and opportunity.

Here are our choices, with Scott Dochterman picking the offense and special teams and Nick Baumgardner selecting the defense.

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Offense

QB: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (Round 1, No. 1)

This one was easy — the Bears have the best infrastructure of the six teams that took a quarterback in the first round. And Williams has every trait an NFL team needs from its passer, plus he’s joining three high-level receivers and an improving offensive line. He’s going to take risks, and that’s OK as long as he learns from the ones that backfire this year. The key for Chicago is to keep the QB’s confidence and accountability high.

RB: Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins (Round 4, No. 120)

The NFL is an 11-personnel league, so we’re taking one running back for this exercise. Wright (5 feet 10, 210 pounds) was an athletic marvel at Tennessee, and he goes to the NFL’s best track team. He blazed to a 4.38-second 40-yard dash and posted a 38-inch vertical jump. The Dolphins will start the season with a backfield trio of Wright, Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, but Wright could become No. 1 by December.

WR: Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals (Round 1, No. 4)

If Ohio State just trotted out its alums, it would have the NFL’s top receiving corps. Harrison not only stands as the best of that group, he arguably was the best receiver in Big Ten history. With his size and ability, Harrison looks and plays more like former Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald than his own Hall of Fame father. If he approaches either one’s production — of which he is capable — Harrison can be an all-decade receiver.

WR: Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs (Round 1, No. 28)

Rather than just pop in the three best receivers (Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze are tied for second behind Harrison), this is where fit comes in. Worthy’s unreal speed combined with Patrick Mahomes’ willingness to attack downfield can make the rookie WR a freakish weapon in Year 1. Yeah, Worthy is thin, but it’s not like safeties can blow up receivers across the middle anymore — especially if they can’t catch them.

WR: Malachi Corley, New York Jets (Round 3, No. 65)

In Western Kentucky’s air raid system, Corley produced otherworldly numbers. That’s not why he’s here, though. The Jets wanted him because in his last two years, Corley averaged 9.2 yards after the catch and led the country in missed tackles. If he can get open, catch the ball and make guys miss, he might wind up as Aaron Rodgers’ next favorite receiver — and that would mean Pro Bowls and a second contract.

TE: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders (Round 1, No. 13)

The Raiders stayed put and picked the best player available, regardless of need. It’s a bit tough to get my head around that. Yes, Las Vegas selected Michael Mayer in the second round last year, but when you have the next Tony Gonzalez available (and I covered the first one for six years), you don’t overthink it.

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OT: Joe Alt, Los Angeles Chargers (Round 1, No. 5)

Jim Harbaugh won a national title at Michigan in old-school fashion by building the offensive line. With his first Chargers picks, he bypassed his need at wide receiver to add extra protection for his quarterback and launch his running game. In Alt, the Chargers have a monster (6-8 1/2, 321) with long arms (34 1/4 inches) and speed (1.73 10-yard split). That’s even more rare than finding an elite receiver.

OT: Taliese Fuaga, New Orleans Saints (Round 1, No. 14)

Fuaga was my favorite offensive lineman to watch last year and then to rewatch the last few months. He has enough versatility to line up at four positions, so who knows (or cares) where he opens with the Saints. Fuaga (6-5 1/2, 324) was so impressive with how he physically dominated opponents. He had several highlight-reel blocks at Oregon State.

G: Cooper Beebe, Dallas Cowboys (Round 3, No. 73)

Sure, Beebe has the perfect dad bod for guards. But when power and technique meet grit, that combination wins more snaps than a bodybuilder. There’s something in Beebe’s makeup that reminds one of Marshal Yanda, a unanimous all-decade guard of the 2010s. Of course, Beebe (6-3, 322) is several All-Pro nods from fully earning that comparison, but the blueprint is there.

G: Christian Mahogany, Detroit Lions (Round 6, No. 210)

How did this guy slip to the sixth round? He’s a powerful, nasty mauler who sends guys flying. In other words, he’s perfect for Detroit coach Dan Campbell. The Lions have a pair of 30-something guards and could use some youth in that spot. It’s not far-fetched to think Mahogany could see action this year and start in 2025.

C: Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers (Round 2, No. 51)

This is one of those player-team matches you make in mock drafts that seems so perfect, it can’t possibly work. But it did for Pittsburgh — twice, really, with Frazier and first-rounder Troy Fautanu. At nearby West Virginia, Frazier (6-2 1/2, 313) started 46 games, including 38 at center. He was a four-time high school wrestling champion and a second-team All-America center last fall. In other words, the perfect Steelers center.

Defense

Edge: Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings (Round 1, No. 17)

The edge class was super interesting. It’s hard to disagree with Colts GM Chris Ballard when he says he got the most complete pass rusher in the draft, Laiatu Latu at No. 16 — Latu is the most polished pass rusher. But Turner has the type of true three-down potential everyone covets. He also has the athleticism that makes him extremely versatile. He’s just 21 years old, ran a 4.46 at the NFL Scouting Combine and jumped more than 40 inches. Even after posting 23.5 sacks in three years at Alabama, he has not played his best ball yet.

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Edge: Marshawn Kneeland, Dallas Cowboys (Round 2, No. 56)

Kneeland comes with great size, twitch and power off the edge at 6-3, 267, but he’s almost 23 and is still pretty raw (and inconsistent) with his pass-rush arsenal. If you stopped at the surface, you might see an overripe player with a limited window to get better. However, Kneeland redshirted in 2019, was slowed by the pandemic in 2020 and didn’t really become a full-time college player until 2021. All this from a guy who was 195 pounds in high school. The length-twitch-burst combination here is first-round good.

DT: Byron Murphy II, Seattle Seahawks (Round 1, No. 16)

The rush on quarterbacks (and offensive tackles) did a number on the defensive board this year. And though it was hardly a deep defensive class, it was very good at the top — including Murphy, who had some top-10 buzz from a few evaluators. He was easily the top defensive tackle in this class, in terms of versatility and general destruction. He can wear multiple hats, push the pocket immediately and probably play a lot of snaps as a young anchor for new Seattle coach Mike Macdonald.

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DT: Jer’Zhan Newton, Washington Commanders (Round 2, No. 36)

There’s really nothing Murphy has that Newton doesn’t. The new Commanders DT is explosive, can play multiple spots along the line and flashed take-over potential at times in college. One of the main differences between the two was consistency, as Newton could leave you wanting more in ways Murphy didn’t. Still, Newton was a first-round talent in this class. He’s very stout against the run and can provide pass rush. For a team that needed everything, this was a great fit.

LB: Junior Colson, Los Angeles Chargers (Round 3, No. 69)

There are a bunch of reasons for Michigan’s defensive resurgence during the tail end of the Jim Harbaugh era; none was much bigger than Colson. A true freshman starter for Macdonald in 2021, Colson was a durable, athletic and intelligent tackling machine inside for one of the best rush defenses in America. Even more important: Jesse Minter, the Chargers’ current defensive coordinator, took over for Macdonald at Michigan and leaned heavily on Colson over the last two seasons in Ann Arbor. Don’t be shocked if Colson earns a job right away, possibly even as a green-dot defender.

LB: Tommy Eichenberg, Las Vegas Raiders (Round 5, No. 148)

Measurables are what made Eichenberg a Day 3 pick — he’s 6-2, 233 with average burst and coverage range. However, this was one of the toughest and most serious defensive prospects in the draft. A two-time captain at Ohio State, Eichenberg is a great run defender who brings intensity to everything he does in ways that rub off on teammates. The Raiders are trying to build a culture centered on toughness, and this was a perfect fit for exactly that. Eichenberg’s a coach on the field, tougher than hell (he played the Michigan game with a dislocated elbow) and will enter camp with something to prove. Love this one.

CB: Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles (Round 1, No. 22)

This year’s CB class was deeper than the edge group, but it had a familiar drop-off after the top-tier options. The top two corners, Mitchell and Terrion Arnold, were the best of the group. Philadelphia went into this draft looking for secondary help, so to get a player who had the outstanding ball production and traits worthy of the top half of Round 1 at No. 22 was awesome. Mitchell is right up there with some of the best steals we’ve seen from GM Howie Roseman.

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CB: Terrion Arnold, Detroit Lions (Round 1, No. 24)

In terms of team fit, this one is perfect. Arnold’s feel in space, ability to communicate with others on the fly and mental toughness (playing outside or inside) were damn near the only things the Lions didn’t have last year. He’s an outstanding fit with DC Aaron Glenn (as is second-round CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.). Not only will he help Glenn run more of what he wants this year, but also he’ll open things up even more for Brian Branch — one of the team’s most exciting and versatile youngsters.

CB: Andru Phillips, New York Giants (Round 3, No. 70)

Physical traits go a long way in the NFL, to be sure, and Phillips offers plenty there (42-inch vertical, 4.48 speed). But to survive as a defender, especially at corner, the mental game is beyond critical. Arguably the most versatile corner in this draft, Phillips also can play at either safety spot. He’s not going to reset the CB market any time soon, but he’s perfect for a team like the Giants: a very savvy, dependable, intense player who loves to fit the run and understands pass concepts as well as anyone his age.

S: Jaden Hicks, Kansas City Chiefs (Round 4, No. 133)

This guy is a lot of fun. If he gained 15 pounds, he’d be an extremely intriguing linebacker prospect; if he dropped 15, he’d be a long, explosive corner. At 6-2, 215, though, Hicks has everything you’re looking for in a modern safety — a downhill thumper in the run game who can be a menace in the box as a blitzer. Hicks had 155 tackles (eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks) for Washington State the last two years. And at just 21 years old, there is a chance Hicks keeps growing and does have to move to linebacker. But smart football teams (and coaches) will always know what to do with players like this. The Chiefs fit the bill.

S: Javon Bullard, Green Bay Packers (Round 2, No. 58)

Bullard was a classic Kirby Smart safety at Georgia. Hell on wheels in the run game, he will bring every ounce of his 5-10, 198-pound body with him as he attacks a running back. He plays bigger than he looks and is generally fearless in space. Bullard missed two games last season with an ankle injury but wound up with seven TFLs and 3.5 sacks during Georgia’s national title run in 2022. He’ll be a special-teams stud right away and help Green Bay continue to build upon a young and exciting culture.

Special teams

K: Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings (Round 6, No. 203)

Reichard drilled all 55 extra points and 22 of 25 field goals for Alabama last year. He finished his college career the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader and heads to a place with perplexing (and perpetual) placekicking issues. Reichard has kicked in big games seemingly every week for five years, however, so the NFL won’t faze him. He doesn’t have to worry about the Minnesota cold, either.

P: Tory Taylor, Chicago Bears (Round 4, No. 122)

In his four years at Iowa, Taylor was so effective it was almost like the Hawkeyes were playing 12-on-11. A three-time All-American, Taylor set the NCAA’s single-season punt yardage record last year and has booted in every type of weather. Most important for Chicago: Taylor’s punt placement was arguably the best in college football history. When you splice in his personality, Taylor should instantly become a fan — and team — favorite.

(Photos of Dallas Turner, Caleb Williams: Todd Rosenberg / Getty Images)





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