Dan Campbell announced the departure of two talanted mega-star today….
With the candidate assessment period coming to an end, every team is setting up shop, planning for every possibility, and hoping that the 2024 NFL Draft will work out in their favor.
I fulfill those fantasies in this exercise by allocating the best prospects of this year to each of the 32 clubs, providing each with ideal selections with its first two draft picks.
Nonetheless, I maintained some sense of realism in this process by giving each participant a single assignment and estimating potential selection locations with fair accuracy. I do discuss situations when a team may need to move up to get a particular prospect.
Because four teams (the Cardinals, Commanders, Eagles, and Packers) now control three picks in the top two rounds, I wanted to account for the possibility that they will select elite talent with that third premium pick. As a result, some good players are not mentioned below. Thus, linebacker Trevin Wallace, running back Jaylen Wright, offensive lineman Cooper Beebe, receiver Ladd McConkey, and edge rusher Adisa Isaac are not included.
Over the previous four seasons, injuries have forced left tackle Ronnie Stanley to miss 36 games; this offseason, Baltimore dealt right tackle Morgan Moses to the Jets. They should be thrilled to find the big (6-foot-8, 322 pounds) and quick Guyton (he completed the three-cone drill in 7.5 seconds), a versatile player, available late in the first. For a Ravens team that needs another receiver, Walker might be a steal late in the second round. Zay Flowers, a second-year player, might play from the slot while Walker and Rashod Bateman, who is about to enter a contract year, positioned outside.
They will need to use one of their first two picks to select a receiver due to the Stefon Diggs deal. Thomas would probably require a trade up for the Bills, but general manager Brandon Beane has a history of being prepared to do so in order to get “his guy.” The LSU wideout would fill Gabe Davis’s former deep-threat role, while Josh Allen’s safety valve would be free-agent signee Curtis Samuel. In addition to making plays downfield and tackling running backs effectively in space, Bullard is a proficient slot defender. As Mike Edwards and Taylor Rapp replace previous starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, he’ll blend in with them.
After Jonah Williams left as a free agency, Trent Brown was signed this summer to fight for the starting right tackle position. However, given his history of injuries, the organization should consider adding a rookie to the mix. Latham can elevate the line since he is a strong run blocker and pass protector. Tee Higgins is expected to play this season on the franchise tag, but if a compelling offer is made, he may be traded. Franklin’s 40-yard sprint time of 4.41 seconds and after-the-catch elusiveness would relieve some of Ja’Marr Chase’s workload in 2024 and beyond.
