Who are your favorite Day 2 targets?
The 2024 NFL Draft has officially kicked off, and the first round was a whirlwind of surprises. Several draft records were set Thursday night, and all of the chaos resulted in quite a few talented players falling out of the first round. Here are the 10 best remaining players heading into the second round.
Cooper DeJean, CB – Iowa
This had to be the biggest surprise, at least as it relates to players who weren’t taken on Thursday. Cooper DeJean was considered by some to be the best defensive back in the draft, though everyone had different thoughts on where he actually fits in the NFL.
The versatile Iowa Hawkeyes star seemed to be a lock to go in the first round, but the run on offensive players pushed him down the draft board. Don’t expect DeJean to wait much longer once the second round kicks off, as teams will be clawing at each other to land this talent.
Jer’Zhan Newton, iDL – Illinois
Almost as big of a surprise as DeJean is Jer’Zhan Newton falling out of the first round. Some draft analysts had debated whether Newton was better than Byron Murphy II, who came off the board at pick 16 after some initial chatter that he could go as high as the eighth overall pick.
Newton is a stellar pass-rushing interior tackle, and NFL teams are always looking for more pass rush. Newton being a second-round pick has the potential to be the biggest steal of the draft, and it would be a surprise to see him get past the Chargers at 37th overall.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB – Alabama
Alabama usually produces stellar cornerbacks, and this year was no exception. Terrion Arnold was taken 24th overall, after the Cowboys traded their pick to the Lions, but Kool-Aid McKinstry was always expected to go after his teammate. Still, it was a bit of a surprise to see him fall out of the first round entirely.
McKinstry offers high football IQ and experience, ready to step onto an NFL field tomorrow, but he does lack the top-flight athleticism of some of the other top corners in this draft. Similar narratives were said about Trevon Diggs not too long ago as he lasted well into the second round, and McKinstry could be just as good.
Adonai Mitchell, WR – Texas
The draft fell silent on receivers after the top 10, with LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. being the next receiver taken with the 23rd pick. The Bills seemed a logical bet to take the next one with the 28th pick, but they traded down twice to two different teams who took a receiver.
An even bigger shock was neither of them being named Adonai Mitchell. Originally playing for the Georgia Bulldogs, Mitchell switched to the Longhorns this past year and dominated. He seemed an ideal fit for a Bills team that just traded away Stefon Diggs, and that could still happen with Buffalo picking 33rd.
Ladd McConkey, WR – Georgia
Few draft prospects had a more meteoric rise this draft season than Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, a slender route running ace. McConkey never had much production in college, partially due to some injuries, but he’s an undeniably smooth route runner.
McConkey had earned some buzz as a potential first-round pick, but his size and injury history make it hard to spend a premium pick on him. Still, McConkey should hear his name called sooner than later on Friday.
Jonathon Brooks, RB – Texas
Earlier in the day on Thursday, smoke began to billow around the Cowboys’ strong desire to draft Jonathon Brooks and their fear that the Eagles might take him before Dallas in the second round. All of this seems to suggest that NFL teams view Brooks as the top back in the draft.
While no team spent a first-rounder on the position, Brooks remains available. It will be interesting to see which team pounces first on Brooks and how early they go for the talented playmaker despite his continued recovery from an ACL tear.
Jackson Powers-Johnson, C – Oregon
Not long ago, Jackson Powers-Johnson seemed to be the consensus top player at center in this draft. However, a rapid rise from Graham Barton coupled with elevated concern over Powers-Johnson’s injury history to result in the Oregon center falling to the second round.
Whether those injury concerns – groin and hip issues last year, in addition multiple concussions throughout college – continue to drop Powers-Johnson will be interesting to see, but the actual talent of this center is hard to ignore.
Zach Frazier, C – West Virginia
Zach Frazier found his stock shooting up quite fast in the final few weeks before the draft, although it still seemed to be a longshot that he’d sneak into the first round. Still, there seems to be quite a few teams that are high on Frazier.
That’s for good reason, too, as Frazier is a four-year starter and plays with ideal physicality for the position. He can become a starter right away, and he’d be a high value pick for anyone in the second round.
Edgerrin Cooper, LB – Texas A&M
Like the running back position, no linebackers were taken in the first round. That’s not a big surprise, as this has become a trend as of late. But Edgerrin Cooper is considered one of the top linebackers in this draft, and it would be a surprise to see him last much longer.
The size and athleticism of Cooper makes him an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling, but he does still need some refinement in pass coverage. Will a team take a gamble on that upside early on, or wait things out?
Payton Wilson, LB – NC State
For those who don’t consider Cooper to be the top linebacker in this draft, that’s usually because of NC State’s Payton Wilson. Turn on the tape and you’ll see a future NFL star at the linebacker position.
Working against Wilson’s favor, though, is a cloudy injury history and the fact that he just turned 24 years old last week and has yet to play a down in the NFL. That makes it hard to buy high on him, but Wilson still has the talent to come off the board quickly on Friday.
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