Grading The NFC North’s 2024 Draft Classes

The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books. That means it’s time to review the weekend and determine how much better a stacked NFC North got. Who won the weekend? We’ll dive into all of that and more!

As usual, the 2024 NFL Draft went by in the blink of an eye. Months of preparation and anticipation all come to a head for a three-day weekend event that ultimately caps off the bulk of the acquisition period for most teams around the NFL. The NFC North has received plenty of attention this offseason. Just months after a successful post-season stint for both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings dominated headlines during the draft cycle for one simple reason: Both teams needed to find their quarterback.

For Chicago, the process was much easier. They held the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year. Only this time, they chose not to trade the pick but instead sent former starting quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional 2025 draft pick. For the Vikings, their road to a new quarterback took a different route. It started by losing Kirk Cousins in free agency, as the Atlanta Falcons handed him a four-year, $160 million deal at the start of the negotiation period. Minnesota had to quickly pivot to their backup option in Sam Darnold. The quest for their future signal caller did not stop there, though. They traded back up into the first round in March, arming them with a pair of first-round selections. Most assumed they would make a move into the Top 5, but the draft fell their way, and they ended up landing a quarterback and making two first-round selections.

Detroit and Green Bay should be established contenders moving forward. But Chicago and Minnesota are reshaping their rosters to better compete in what has become one of the deepest divisions in football. The draft can be a momentous occasion that reshapes the landscape of a division. Did last weekend’s results start that trend? We’ll dive into each class and dissect their selections to grade out the NFC North’s best and worst draft classes for 2024.

Chicago Bears (A)

Round 1 (#1): QB Caleb Williams (USC)

Round 1 (#9): WR Rome Odunze (Washington)

Round 3 (#75): OT Kiran Amegadjie (Yale)

Round 4 (#122): P Tory Taylor (Iowa)

Round 5 (#144): DE Austin Booker (Kansas)

Chicago’s draft was not a big class, but it should be an impactful one. One would likely assume that when a team has a pair of Top 10 selections, right? Williams, by most accounts, was the consensus QB 1 and a Top 2 prospect in this class. Coming next was a great value, even just nine picks in. Odunze was a consensus Top 6 player, and some even considered him as WR2. The Bears sat out most of Day 2 but did pick up a developmental left tackle in Amegadjie. Round 3 was interesting, with their first pick being a punter and ending with them trading back into the fifth round for Booker. The former Kansas product was a projected Day 2 pick that slid further than expected. It’s hard to justify a punter in the fourth round, especially when a team is low on draft capital, but there’s no denying he should drastically improve their punting “attack.” In total, third-year general manager Ryan Poles came away with what should be a franchise-changing haul.

Favorite Pick: WR Rome Odunze

It would have been easy to select Williams here and run with it. But in many ways, that felt like cheating. Sure, he’s the No. 1 overall pick and arguably one of the best quarterback prospects to come out of college since Andrew Luck, but this feels like low-hanging fruit. Instead, Odunze becomes the choice. Rankings ranged from Top 3 to Top 6, but in general, most had the Washington receiver graded higher than he was drafted. It took a pair of offensive tackles and a surprising quarterback at No. 8 to go in front of them, but Chicago ended up with a potential star receiver as their second selection in the first round. Even better, Odunze will not be forced into action with high expectations out of the gate, thanks to the presence of DJ Moore and Keenan Allen in front of him.

Least Favorite Pick: P Tory Taylor

I toggled between Taylor and Amegadjie but settled on positional value as the determining factor. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t “hate” either pick, but I did have multiple players on my board in front of both players where they were taken, respectively. Taylor is a magician. It’s easy to see why Poles fell in love with him at the Senior Bowl. He should be a true “weapon” for Chicago in the years to come, but at the time, this was Chicago’s final selection, and they had yet to take a defensive lineman. It all worked out in the end, but if we’re splitting hairs, this is where I’m going.

Pick That Could Surprise: DE Austin Booker

On most boards, Booker was a Top 90 player. He’s raw and relatively inexperienced, but the traits and tools he brings at 21 years old can’t be ignored. He was never a full-time starter at Kansas but did rack up eight sacks and plenty of tackles for loss in 2023. Because of his slender build, it might take him some time to develop. A year (or two) in an NFL weight room will do him some good, but having Eric Washington and Travis Smith to coach him up should help tremendously.

Detroit Lions (B+)

Round 1 (#24): CB Terrion Arnold (Alabama)

Round 2 (#61): CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri)

Round 4 (#126): OL Giovanni Manu (British Columbia)

Round 4 (#132): RB/S Sione Vaki (Utah)

Round 6 (#189): DT Mekhi Wingo (LSU)

Round 6 (#210): OG Christian Mahogany (Boston College)

A year after holding a pair of Top 20 picks, the Lions experienced their first-ever NFC North division title in 2023. Everything appears to be headed in the right direction, and one could argue that they even surprised in the playoffs. General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have turned this franchise around, and there’s no reason not to consider them Super Bowl contenders heading into 2024. Their needs were clear and defined. Defensive back was at the top of that list, and they addressed it in a big way right out of the gate. Arnold was an outstanding value late in the first, as was Rakestraw Jr. in the second. Manu felt like a typical Holmes reach on a guy that no one else was overly high on. He did the same thing with Broderick Martin in the third round last year. I really like Vaki at safety, but at running back, I don’t understand the value, especially with their current depth chart at the position. Both Wingo and Mahogany were outstanding value selections in the sixth round. Health issues or not, Mahogany has a chance to become a starter very early in his career. He was a consensus Top 100 player. Similar to the Bears, Detroit didn’t own a lot of picks but they did make the most of them.

Favorite Pick: CB Terrion Arnold

The former Alabama product was a consensus Top 15 product. Many had him as CB1 on their boards. Yet, because of the historic run of offensive players through the first 15 picks, Arnold found himself sliding into the Mid-20s. Detroit swooped in and found one of the best values of the opening round. Arnold should be a plug-and-play starter right away. He’s a physical corner that tends to get a bit grabby but the NFC North has plenty of receivers that require physical play at defensive back. Hard to ask for much better if you’re Holmes.

Least Favorite Pick: RB/S Sione Vaki

Again, this is one I don’t understand. At safety? Absolutely! At running back? Why? Detroit has one of the better 1-2 punches in the league. Taking a guy like Vaki and moving him back to running back makes little sense. If they decide to switch him back, Manu slides into this spot. I’m big on value when it comes to the consensus boards, and that was an egregious reach by the Detroit front office.

Pick That Could Surprise: OG Christian Mahogany

I’m still in disbelief that Mahogany slid this far. Sure, he’s a little on the smaller side and medically played a big part, but still… Detroit has one of the best offensive lines in the league, so allowing a late-round rookie to develop behind some Pro Bowl-level players is never a bad thing. I’d be pretty surprised if the former Boston College alum isn’t starting within the next year or two.

Green Bay Packers (B)

Round 1 (#25): OL Jordan Morgan (Arizona)

Round 2 (#45): LB Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M)

Round 2 (#58): S Javon Bullard (Georgia)

Round 3 (#88): RB MarShawn Lloyd (USC)

Round 3 (#91): LB Ty’Ron Hopper (Missouri)

Round 4 (#111): S Evan Williams (Oregon)

Round 5 (#163): C Jacob Monk (Duke)

Round 5 (#169): S Kitan Oladapo (Oregon State)

Round 6 (#202): OT Travis Glover Jr. (Georgia State)

Round 7 (#245): QB Michael Pratt (Tulane)

Round 7 (#255): CB Kalen King (Penn State)

As a whole, I really like what the Packers did. Not only were they flush with picks, but they also added good talent for big positions of need. Morgan’s projection will be interesting. Because of his length, I have him as a guard. Green Bay has been known for offensive line versatility, so I wouldn’t rule anything out with Morgan quite yet. Cooper and Hopper can both move. The Packers’ defense needed plenty of help, which is why they doubled up at linebacker, cornerback, and safety. I’m lukewarm on their safety additions, but I love the value with King. Lloyd will be an interesting fit but could be someone who ends up pushing out AJ Dillon by the end of this season. Overall, I’d feel good about this class if I were a Packers fan. There are no star-studded names on this list, but there are plenty of guys who should become quality contributors.

Favorite Pick: RB MarShawn Lloyd

If I were basing my picks based on the value gained through the consensus board, this would have been Cooper, but I’m not. I was higher on Lloyd than most. Before the Bears signed D’Andre Swift to a three-year deal, I thought he would have been the perfect fit in Chicago’s new offense. Instead, Green Bay continues to rebuild their running back room after cutting Aaron Jones and giving Josh Jacobs a big free agent deal. Lloyd is a versatile runner who can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s got the build to hold up over a 17-game season and a surprising amount of burst for as big as he is. Don’t be surprised to see him eventually push Dillon out the door when it comes to playing time.

Least Favorite Pick: LB Ty’Ron Hopper

Speaking of the consensus board, this selection was not a good value. Despite being taken at No. 91, his consensus ranking was over 60 spots lower at No. 153. In total, this just isn’t great value, even if it’s a defensive need. He’s a smaller, lighter player who can go sideline to sideline but isn’t a consistent tackler. If anything, he slots in as a blitzer and rotational player who should carve out an early role on special teams. Just not sure that’s worth a third-round selection in a draft that was short on linebacking talent, anyway.

Pick That Could Surprise: CB Kalen King

It’s hard to fathom, but King went from a possible first-round talent to one of the last picks in the draft in just one season. Sure, his size is slightly below average, and he didn’t test well, but I still like the ceiling. King’s traits tell him he can be versatile, whether that’s as a boundary corner, inside at nickel, or even back deep as a safety. He needs to become a better tackler but he’s just one season removed from 21 pass breakups. I love, love, love the value here. At worst, he’s a practice squad stash. At best, he’ll be challenging for playing time relatively soon.

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Minnesota Vikings (B-)

Round 1 (#10): QB JJ McCarthy (Michigan)

Round 1 (#17): DE Dallas Turner (Alabama)

Round 4 (#108): CB Khyree Jackson (Oregon)

Round 6 (#177): OT Walter Rouse (Oklahoma)

Round 6 (#203): K Will Reichard (Alabama)

Round 7 (#230): OC Michael Jurgens (Wake Forest)

Round 7 (#232): DT Levi Drake Martinez (Texas A&M-Commerce)

Like most draft analyses, there’s a nuance that goes into grading out draft classes. On the surface, Minnesota was able to land their quarterback without a large trade-up. They also added arguably the top edge rusher and some quality depth in the process. Looking at the entire picture, it’s hard to ignore the amount of future draft capital they gave up during the draft process. As of now, the Vikings have just three selections in the 2025 draft. A 1st and two 5ths. They’re likely to land a compensatory 3rd for Kirk Cousins and maybe more, depending on what the league finds in their investigation of the Atlanta Falcons tampering. Either way, general manager Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah traded away three valuable picks during this draft cycle, all involving the team’s second first-round pick. The Steelers may also be sending that conditional seventh-round selection for OT Jesse Davis but the terms on that are still unknown.

In total, yes, the Vikings got better. They didn’t have to make a massive trade-up to land their quarterback, and they landed arguably the best pass rusher in this class. But it cost them future draft capital, which is important for a re-tooling team. That’s why their overall grade is slightly lower than just evaluating the players taken.

Favorite Pick: DE Dallas Turner

If you had told Vikings fans last month that they’d come away with McCarthy and Turner and it wouldn’t cost them a 2025 first-round selection, they would have been ecstatic. That’s exactly what happened. The way the board fell, especially regarding the top defenders, was truly something to behold. The first defensive player didn’t come off the board until No. 15 to the Indianapolis Colts. Turner went two picks later after Minnesota traded up to secure their long-term answer off the edge. This was an excellent value and well worth the additional draft capital. Turner might not have the ceiling of former teammate Will Anderson, but he should consistently be an 8-10 sack-per-year type of pass rusher.

Least Favorite Pick: DT Levi Drake Martinez

I’m somewhat grasping at straws here. Overall, I was a pretty big fan of this entire draft class, even the picks that weren’t home run selections. So, I went with the low-hanging fruit and took the last player in their class because he wasn’t on the consensus Top 300.

Pick That Could Surprise: CB Khyree Jackson

I had a defensive back as a need for this defense, and Jackson is a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense. Jackson was a consensus Top 100 player, but some were even higher on him than that. The former Oregon Duck should be able to come in and compete for a starting spot right away. That’s outstanding value for a premium position in the fourth round.