The New England Patriots refused to trade down. The Buffalo Bills helped Kansas City land the speed receiver the Chiefs coveted. The Las Vegas Raiders invested in another tight end, while the New York Jets surprisingly took the long-range view.
The post-draft conversation continues there as we check in with executives around the NFL for thoughts on how the 2024 draft played out for all 16 AFC teams (check out the NFC version here).
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Baltimore Ravens
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/30 | Nate Wiggins | CB3 | |
2/62 | Roger Rosengarten | OT11 | |
3/93 | Adisa Isaac | EDGE10 | |
4/113 | Devontez Walker | WR19 | |
4/130 | T.J. Tampa | CB16 | |
5/165 | Rasheen Ali | RB13 | |
6/218 | Devin Leary | QB10 | |
7/228 | Nick Samac | C9 | |
7/250 | Sanoussi Kane | S19 |
This Ravens offseason has been mostly about players and coaches leaving the team, so adding nine players had to feel good for Baltimore.
Two things about this class stood out to me: The first five picks all play premium positions, and four of those were drafted significantly later than their consensus rankings.
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“When you can hit on positions of impact, it helps to be cost-controlled at positions commanding a premium on the market,” an exec said.
The run on offensive players early in the draft allowed Baltimore to select the third cornerback (Nate Wiggins) with only the 30th choice. But in targeting premium positions lower in the draft, the Ravens wound up with the 11th offensive tackle (Roger Rosengarten), the 10th edge rusher (Adisa Isaac) and the 19th receiver (Devontez Walker).
“Nate Wiggins was the best cover corner in the draft,” an exec said. “He falls a little because he did not compete as consistently as you’d like, but going into that Baltimore culture, they have to feel good. They are not a team you really question.”
Wiggins was No. 22 on The Athletic’s consensus board and went No. 30. T.J. Tampa was No. 57 (and the eighth-ranked corner) but went in the fourth round at No. 130, the sixteenth corner off the board. Isaac ranked 68th but went 93rd in Round 3, and Walker ranked 86th and went 113th in Round 4.
“Rosengarten is an underrated pick,” another exec said. “He is going to be similar to like Spencer Brown in Buffalo, a starting tackle. They have done a good job developing rushers, too, so I like them taking the Penn State kid (Isaac). Tampa ran in the 4.5s and might have gotten the benefit of the doubt from some because he has length.”
Buffalo Bills
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
2/33 | Keon Coleman | WR8 | |
2/60 | Cole Bishop | S3 | |
3/95 | DeWayne Carter | DT9 | |
4/128 | Ray Davis | RB8 | |
5/141 | Sedrick Van Pran-Granger | C4 | |
5/160 | Edefuan Ulofoshio | LB13 | |
5/168 | Javon Solomon | EDGE16 | |
6/204 | Tylan Grable | OT24 | |
6/219 | Daequan Hardy | CB32 | |
7/221 | Travis Clayton | OT26 |
The Bills were interesting for the trades they made from the 28th slot to the 32nd slot to the 33rd slot, and for the type of receiver they selected when they took 6-foot-3 Keon Coleman atop the second round. Was trading with heated AFC rival Kansas City — enabling the Chiefs to select the speed receiver they coveted in Buffalo’s original slot — some sort of crime?
“No, you can’t worry about that,” one exec said. “What are we getting? If that’s the best deal, we don’t give a s— who it is.”
Coleman’s impact on the Bills will be measured against Xavier Worthy’s impact on the Chiefs regardless.
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“If your biggest rival wants to do something, you can’t control it,” another exec said. “But if you were willing all along to trade out of the first round, you should call all the other teams in that range. Maybe then you don’t let them do what they wanted to do, if you can help it.”
As for Coleman, he joins 2023 first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid as another big target for quarterback Josh Allen.
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“It looks like they didn’t want a little guy in cold weather — ‘We’re a tough run team now,'” another exec said. “The risk is that Coleman is going to be covered. Those guys are making contested catches, and that is hard to do over and over again unless you are DeAndre Hopkins.”
The selection of inside runner Ray Davis in the fourth round could further signal a shift toward being more of a power team.
“There is now a big difference in the speed around Patrick Mahomes compared to the speed around Josh Allen,” another exec said. “Buffalo is saying, ‘Josh, it is up to you to raise the level of the skill around you,’ which is great, but we’ll see if he is able to do that.”
Cincinnati Bengals
Execs singled out the selection of defensive tackle Kris Jenkins in the second round as the one they were most willing to bet on succeeding.
“I do think there is a heightened risk aspect to their picks,” an exec said. “Jenkins offsets the risk some. He is going to be really solid. Amarius Mims is talented, and when he plays, he’s good, but eight career starts?”
There had to be some tradeoff when the fifth tackle selected in the draft stands 6-foot-8, weighs 340 pounds and, by all accounts, does have elite potential (as The Athletic’s Nate Taylor reported, the Chiefs were interested in trading up for Mims).
“It’s a calculated risk because he is talented,” another exec said. “You have to bank on the talent to shine. And while we want the first-round picks to play right away, if Orlando Brown and Trent Brown play to their standard, they will not need Mims to be ready right now. He can redshirt to a degree, but be ready as needed and take over next year.”
The third-round picks address positions of intrigue for Cincinnati. Jermaine Burton adds a receiving option, with Tee Higgins having requested a trade. McKinnley Jackson could help offset D.J. Reader’s departure.
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“Burton is going to be a sneaky good player,” an exec said. “He’s fast, he’s strong after the catch, he has a little dog to him. They do a good job getting those types of players established.”
Cleveland Browns
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
2/54 | Michael Hall Jr. | DT8 | |
3/85 | Zak Zinter | G5 | |
5/156 | Jamari Thrash | WR23 | |
6/206 | Nathaniel Watson | LB17 | |
7/227 | Myles Harden | CB34 | |
7/243 | Jowon Briggs | DT22 |
The Browns’ first-round pick (No. 23) traveled from Cleveland to Houston to Minnesota to Jacksonville before the Jaguars used it on receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
If that wasn’t exciting enough for Browns fans, how about having only two picks in the first 155 choices, and using them on interior linemen, including one coming off of a broken leg?
“Their first pick (Mike Hall Jr.) is a prototype who fits Jim Schwartz’s defense as a twitchy, upfield penetrator,” an exec said. “If they can motivate him and get him playing down in and down out, he will fit well for Schwartz’s defense. The Michigan guard (Zak Zinter) is good for where they got him if you are comfortable with the medical.”
Zinter suffered a broken tibia and fibula in November.
“They were a playoff team, so they are adding players you can win with, not win because of,” another exec said.
Denver Broncos
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/12 | Bo Nix | QB6 | |
3/76 | Jonah Elliss | EDGE9 | |
4/102 | Troy Franklin | WR17 | |
5/145 | Kris Abrams-Draine | CB20 | |
5/147 | Audric Estime | RB12 | |
7/235 | Devaughn Vele | WR33 | |
7/256 | Nick Gargiulo | C12 |
Sean Payton using a premium pick (No. 12) on the sixth quarterback in this class (Bo Nix) makes the coming years in Denver so much more compelling. Rejecting Russell Wilson risked little when there wasn’t much chance Wilson could live up to his contract. Embracing Nix — who was favored by oddsmakers to be drafted by Denver, but not in the first round — represents a big bet.
“I’m betting on it (succeeding) heavily,” an exec said. “Bo has experience, he has enough arm talent and I think he is going to do what he is coached to do. Sean Payton’s system is optimal for him. Bo is not going to go off-script as much as Russ was going to do. Look, I don’t want him to be successful, but I think he is going to be legit there.”
After picking Nix, Payton said his Saints wanted to draft Patrick Mahomes in 2017, and that he couldn’t risk letting another quarterback he loved slip away.
“That’s a stretch,” another exec said. “Remember, he also said Taysom Hill was going to be like Steve Young.”
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“I’m not a Bo Nix fan, but if anybody can get something out of him, Sean could,” another exec said, voicing concerns about Nix’s accuracy and reaction to the pass rush. “He’ll program that kid to do exactly what he wants every week. It won’t be enough the first year, but Sean will buy a third year to develop the kid and see if he can get him through.”
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Denver arguably had no viable short-term starting quarterback options beyond whatever QB the team drafted. Atlanta’s decision to take Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 affected the Broncos’ ability to trade back.
“They had no choice but to take Bo,” an exec said.
Houston Texans
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
2/42 | Kamari Lassiter | CB6 | |
2/59 | Blake Fisher | OT10 | |
3/78 | Calen Bullock | S4 | |
4/123 | Cade Stover | TE8 | |
6/188 | Jamal Hill | LB16 | |
6/205 | Jawhar Jordan | RB19 | |
7/238 | Solomon Byrd | EDGE20 | |
7/247 | Marcus Harris | DT24 | |
7/249 | LaDarius Henderson | OT29 |
Unrelated to the Texans, and speaking in general terms, an exec from a team picking inside the top 20 made a comment we regularly hear this time of year.
“Call it pick 20 to pick 40, shake them up and throw them out, they are all similar players,” he said.
Whether or not that is true, execs agreed the 2025 draft should be deeper than the current one, so that acquiring picks next year carried additional value.
These are interesting considerations for the Texans, who traded the 23rd pick with a seventh-rounder to Minnesota for the 42nd pick and a sixth-rounder, plus the Vikings’ second-round pick next year. Houston later traded that 2025 second to Buffalo for Stefon Diggs.
The net effect was acquiring Diggs for the short term and then living with whatever downgrade comes with drafting Kamari Lassiter at 42 relative to the corners available in the 23rd slot; Philadelphia made Quinyon Mitchell the first corner chosen at 22, before Detroit traded up to take Terrion Arnold at 24, before Baltimore took Nate Wiggins at 30.
“The only issue there is, I would have gone Max Melton (chosen 43rd by Arizona) over Lassiter for his speed and ability to cover,” an exec said.
That could simply be a matter of personal preference.
“Lassiter ran slow, but his tape is really good,” another exec said. “He was one of my favorite corners in the draft. Houston did a really good job overall of adding character with talent. Cade Stover was a good example of that, and so was Lassiter.”
Indianapolis Colts
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/15 | Laiatu Latu | EDGE1 | |
2/52 | Adonai Mitchell | WR11 | |
3/79 | Matt Goncalves | OT17 | |
4/117 | Tanor Bortolini | C3 | |
5/142 | Anthony Gould | WR21 | |
5/151 | Jaylon Carlies | S11 | |
5/164 | Jaylin Simpson | S13 | |
6/201 | Micah Abraham | CB30 | |
7/234 | Jonah Laulu | DT21 |
The Colts had reason to become Falcons fans during this draft.
“I don’t think the run on offensive players would have lasted as long if Atlanta had not taken (Michael) Penix,” an exec said. “They basically gave Indianapolis and some of those other teams really good defensive players.”
Execs generally expected Atlanta to bolster its defense with the No. 8 pick. The Penix selection contributed to Denver taking a quarterback at 12, and to this draft setting a record with 14 consecutive offensive players selected from the start.
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Latu was the consensus best pass rusher in the draft but also a risky selection following neck fusion surgery that led him to quit football for a time.
“Indy has a pretty solid roster but needed more difference makers, so this year they went away from what they’ve done in the past,” an exec said. “They took risks with big upside. Latu has Joey Bosa-like hand usage and the best tape of any edge rusher in the draft, but the neck is a concern. AD Mitchell is as gifted as the top three wideouts even, but there were some concerns. On paper, Indy got tremendously better.”
GM Chris Ballard’s post-draft rant against anonymously sourced character criticisms on Mitchell seemed to reflect an edge. Another exec suggested Indy had erred on the side of caution in the past and now appeared willing to make calculated risks, perhaps after realizing there were missed opportunities.
“It looks like they are thinking, ‘We have the coach, we have the quarterback, we are out of excuses,'” a different exec said.
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Jacksonville Jaguars
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/23 | Brian Thomas Jr. | WR4 | |
2/48 | Maason Smith | DT6 | |
3/96 | Jarrian Jones | CB13 | |
4/114 | Javon Foster | OT18 | |
4/116 | Jordan Jefferson | DT13 | |
5/153 | Deantre Prince | CB23 | |
5/167 | Keilan Robinson | RB15 | |
6/212 | Cam Little | K3 | |
7/236 | Myles Cole | EDGE19 |
Moving back from No. 17 to No. 23 without missing out on a receiver and while pocketing 2025 third- and fourth-round picks from Minnesota seems like a dream scenario.
The question now becomes whether Brian Thomas Jr. can finally give the Jaguars a long-term No. 1 receiver.
“Thomas can be that guy in two years,” an exec said. “I don’t think he’s going to be required to be that right away. They’ve got some guys.”
Allen Robinson, Christian Kirk, Allen Hurns, Calvin Ridley and D.J. Chark are the Jaguars’ only 1,000-yard receivers over the past 18 seasons. Each reached the mark only once with Jacksonville.
“There is going to have to be some development with him,” another exec said of Thomas. “He is not walking in there and transforming what they do. He has the physical traits to develop. Does he have the other stuff? That remains to be seen.”
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Pro Football Focus listed Jaguars second-round choice Maason Smith as one of its biggest Day 2 reaches, albeit one with huge upside.
“Smith is a traits guy, and maybe you hit on him, maybe he is just kind of average,” an exec said, “but I don’t think he will be a bust. He’s tall, he plays with high pad level, but he’s big, he’s long, he’s in that mold of a DeForest Buckner, but he doesn’t have that kind of twitch.”
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke drafted Buckner in San Francisco.
“I think (third-round pick) Jarrian Jones is someone who we could look back on and wonder why he was available that long,” another exec said. “He is a good, good player. Tough, tackles well, covers well, can play in the nickel, can play outside.”
Kansas City Chiefs
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/28 | Xavier Worthy | WR5 | |
2/63 | Kingsley Suamataia | OT12 | |
4/131 | Jared Wiley | TE9 | |
4/133 | Jaden Hicks | S10 | |
5/159 | Hunter Nourzad | C5 | |
6/211 | Kamal Hadden | CB31 | |
7/248 | C.J. Hanson | G13 |
The Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls since trading Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins and funneling the newly available resources elsewhere on the roster, but let’s face it: Andy Reid missed what Hill’s speed brought to the offense.
“They won the Super Bowl, but they should be blowing dudes out like they used to,” an exec said. “Xavier Worthy will make it easier to do that with the tight end (Travis Kelce) getting older.”
Worthy, who set the combine record with a 4.21-second time in the 40-yard dash, can provide some of that speed in a physical package more closely resembling what DeSean Jackson brought to Reid’s offenses years ago. There would be no help early in this draft for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
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“They kind of know how to build a team there,” an exec said of the Chiefs. “Andy is like, ‘Yeah, that was a pain in the ass without Tyreek Hill, so let’s go get a guy who is faster than Tyreek, see if we can take the top off.’ And ‘Spags’ is like, ‘What about corner?’ And Andy is like, ‘Yeah, figure it out, blitz more.’ That is what it seems like.”
It’s a humorous spin on the Chiefs’ approach to this draft after trading cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans for a 2025 third-rounder and a swap of seventh-round picks. Spagnuolo did get reinforcements for his secondary in the fourth and sixth rounds.
“Kansas City is going to light people up with that kid,” an exec said of Worthy. “He’s a little, fast guy, and you think he’s a track guy, but he’s tough, finishes runs, fast, disciplined. He has a nice all-around game.”
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Las Vegas Raiders
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/13 | Brock Bowers | TE1 | |
2/44 | Jackson Powers-Johnson | G1 | |
3/77 | Delmar Glaze | OT16 | |
4/112 | Decamerion Richardson | CB15 | |
5/148 | Tommy Eichenberg | LB11 | |
6/208 | Dylan Laube | RB20 | |
7/223 | Trey Taylor | S16 | |
7/229 | M.J. Devonshire | CB35 |
Drafting a tight end early for the second consecutive year does not qualify as textbook team-building. Brock Bowers was the pick at No. 13 this year after the Raiders selected Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer at 35 a year ago.
“I think they were stuck once Atlanta took (Michael) Penix and they were like, ‘Oh, crap, we might not get a quarterback to fall to us,’ and they scrambled and took that kid,” an exec said of the Bowers selection. “He is a good player, but a luxury item. I don’t like those kinds of picks unless you have everything else.”
While Bowers and center Graham Barton (26th to Tampa Bay) were the only players at non-premium positions to be drafted in the first 43 picks, execs agree Bowers can become a dynamic force. They think he’s worthy of the selection based on his tape. But they also think tight ends need skilled offensive coordinators to maximize their production, and that Bowers might need more scheming than most.
Are the Raiders equipped to become a dynamically schemed 12-personnel team?
“If they are willing to do that, which nobody other than New England has really leaned into since they had (Aaron) Hernandez and Gronk (Rob Gronkowski), it’s great,” an exec said. “If you go out there in base, they are going to throw the ball on you. If you play nickel or dime, they will run the ball down your throat.”
The irony is that the Raiders’ former coach, Josh McDaniels, might have been better suited to implement a 12-personnel offense, given his history in New England. Partly for that reason, execs saw tackle Taliese Fuaga, selected 14th by New Orleans, as a sounder alternative for the Raiders.
“Bowers is not like Dalton Kincaid where you can create separation in the normal flow of the offense,” an exec said. “You have to move him. He would be ideal in San Francisco or Miami. Whereas Kincaid is special at the top of the route, Bowers is one-cut, catch it, break three tackles and he’s gone. Hopefully, they have a good plan for him because he can do some really unique things with the ball.”
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Los Angeles Chargers
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/5 | Joe Alt | OT1 | |
2/34 | Ladd McConkey | WR9 | |
3/69 | Junior Colson | LB2 | |
4/105 | Justin Eboigbe | DT11 | |
5/137 | Tarheeb Still | CB18 | |
5/140 | Cam Hart | CB19 | |
6/181 | Kimani Vidal | RB17 | |
7/225 | Brenden Rice | WR32 | |
7/253 | Cornelius Johnson | WR35 |
It’s easy to see in retrospect what the Chargers saw before the draft: Finding a promising receiver after the first round is easier than finding a promising offensive tackle there.
Passing on Joe Alt at No. 5 would have gone against what new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is about.
“Joe Alt was a slam dunk pick,” one exec said. “People wanted to make them pick receivers, but trading back up to get Ladd McConkey, who is maybe the best route runner in the draft, was cool. I think they nailed this first draft, didn’t try to do too much, just did a nice job hitting doubles. They got good players with a path to playing.”
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That included third-round pick Junior Colson, a likely first-year starter who played under Harbaugh at Michigan.
“The Chargers in the past seemed to do a pretty good job in the first round, but then would reach more in the mid to later rounds,” an exec said. “Time will tell, but I think (Tarheeb) Still is going to be a good nickel, Cam Hart has a chance to start and the running back (Kimani Vidal) has a chance to be a three-down starter.”
Miami Dolphins
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/21 | Chop Robinson | EDGE4 | |
2/55 | Patrick Paul | OT9 | |
4/120 | Jaylen Wright | RB5 | |
5/158 | Mohamed Kamara | EDGE15 | |
6/184 | Malik Washington | WR26 | |
6/198 | Patrick McMorris | S15 | |
7/241 | Tahj Washington | WR34 |
The Dolphins found themselves in a predicament when Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright remained available in the fourth round.
The NFL had confiscated the Dolphins’ third-round pick in the Tom Brady tampering case. Miami had traded its own fourth to Denver in the Bradley Chubb deal.
What’s a team to do when there’s a player its offensive play-calling head coach wants, but no pick with which to take him?
The Dolphins reached for their credit card. They traded their 2025 third to Philadelphia for a fourth this year, despite general league thinking that NIL implementation at the college level thinned the current crop after the first couple of rounds. As one exec put it, “If you traded this year’s fourth for next year’s third, that’s a huge win because of the nature of the class.”
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A huge win for the Eagles on paper won’t bother the Dolphins if they’re right on Wright.
“It’s great Mike McDaniel has a plan for a running back you trade up for, but now we are into niche guys,” an exec said. “Where is the player that is going to beat Buffalo? You can say it is the pass rusher, Chop Robinson.”
The Dolphins, heavily invested in injured veteran pass rushers, made Robinson the fourth edge rusher selected in the class, with all four chosen in a seven-pick span.
“Robinson has great speed off the edge,” an exec said. “Not super physical, doesn’t play through people, but he can fly. If you are Miami and you are playing with a lead, he’s perfect.”
New England Patriots
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/3 | Drake Maye | QB3 | |
2/37 | Ja'Lynn Polk | WR10 | |
3/68 | Caedan Wallace | OT14 | |
4/103 | Layden Robinson | G7 | |
4/110 | Javon Baker | WR18 | |
6/180 | Marcellas Dial | CB27 | |
6/193 | Joe Milton III | QB9 | |
7/231 | Jaheim Bell | TE11 |
The Patriots’ decision to stay in the third slot to draft Drake Maye is fascinating amid reports New England could have traded down with the Giants (for a package including the sixth pick and a 2025 first-rounder) or Vikings (for a package including the 11th and 23rd picks and a 2025 first).
If it’s true that the Giants and Vikings were that eager to land Maye, and that the Patriots were determined to select him anyway, then the consensus feeling on Maye as a top-flight prospect might be strong.
“They seemed happy at hell with Maye, so that was their guy and you just stay and take him,” an exec said.
There’s still plenty to discuss.
“New England had an opportunity to pick up an extra first (in 2025) and pick up additional draft capital and ride this season out with a version of Jacoby Brissett, Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe, and they chose not to do it in exchange for the third quarterback of the group,” another exec said. “The Giants’ offer looked strong. I don’t know why they didn’t pull the trigger on that.”
Would you rather have Maye or another building-block player, plus the Giants’ first-round pick next year? What about J.J. McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. at No. 6, plus a first-rounder next year?
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“If Drake Maye goes to Washington at 2, New England is taking Jayden Daniels — point being, New England was taking whoever was left,” a third exec said. “No different than Houston last year after Carolina selected. It worked out for Houston. It very well could work out for New England. I just think the team New England has around its QB more closely resembles Carolina than Houston.”
The Patriots plan to play Brissett in the short term.
“When (owner Robert) Kraft needs to sell tickets, how does that work?” the third exec added.
Last year, the Panthers had Andy Dalton but couldn’t resist playing Bryce Young.
However it unfolds, projecting quarterback success remains the first wonder of the NFL world.
“Historically speaking, you have to operate under the assumption that you are wrong,” another exec said. “At some point, you have to pick, but you are better off collecting more and especially future assets than just taking a quarterback early because you have never been in position to do it. You are taking the third quarterback out of six, and we know half are going to fail. Which one did I just get?”
New York Jets
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/11 | Olu Fashanu | OT3 | |
3/65 | Malachi Corley | WR12 | |
4/134 | Braelon Allen | RB11 | |
5/171 | Jordan Travis | QB8 | |
5/173 | Isaiah Davis | RB16 | |
5/176 | Qwan'tez Stiggers | CB26 | |
7/257 | Jaylen Key | S20 |
The Jets’ short-term maneuvering to maximize whatever time Aaron Rodgers has left convinced some that the team would use its first-round pick (No. 10) for tight end Brock Bowers. The team became one of the draft’s pleasant surprises after trading back and drafting tackle Olu Fashanu instead.
“When you are picking in the top 10 and you need offensive line help and you take a tight end, that is malpractice,” an exec said in early March at the scouting combine. “You can’t do that.”
The Jets apparently agreed.
“They are in win-now mode, which is why I thought they would go Bowers all the way or any player that would help them win this year,” an exec said. “Instead, they drafted a tackle who might not play for them this year, and might not be well-suited to kick inside and play guard. It certainly is good long-term process, but where they are as an organization, they gotta win this year.”
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It’s a difficult spot to be in, no matter which player the Jets selected.
“O-line made so much sense there,” another exec said. “I don’t know how you go any other way.”
Pittsburgh Steelers
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/20 | Troy Fautanu | OT6 | |
2/51 | Zach Frazier | C2 | |
3/84 | Roman Wilson | WR14 | |
3/98 | Payton Wilson | LB6 | |
4/119 | Mason McCormick | G8 | |
6/178 | Logan Lee | DT14 | |
6/195 | Ryan Watts | CB29 |
Injury concerns sprung up around the Steelers’ first-round pick (Troy Fautanu) and their second of two third-rounders (Payton Wilson), but the overall vibe was positive.
“Fautanu was one of my favorite players in the entire draft,” an exec said. “Personality, work ethic, skill set, versatility — he has it all. The second-round pick (Zach Frazier) fits their brand for toughness — four-time state wrestling champ. And then they got the best off-ball coverage linebacker in the draft if Payton Wilson can stay healthy.”
Some execs see Fautanu as more guard than tackle, though Mike Tomlin has said Fautanu will play tackle. All agreed this class looked like a Steelers class should look: tough across the board, with Frazier already acclimated to the area, having played a short drive down I-79 in Morgantown.
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But the injury tradeoff on Wilson is real. He’s had multiple knee surgeries and multiple shoulder surgeries and just turned 24, although he played every game this past season.
“Payton Wilson is an awesome, awesome player and a great pick at 98,” another exec said. “He just had injuries. Do you pass him or not?”
Tennessee Titans
| Rd/pk | Name | Pos# | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1/7 | JC Latham | OT2 | |
2/38 | T'Vondre Sweat | DT4 | |
4/106 | Cedric Gray | LB7 | |
5/146 | Jarvis Brownlee Jr. | CB21 | |
6/182 | Jha'Quan Jackson | WR25 | |
7/242 | James Williams | S18 | |
7/252 | Jaylen Harrell | EDGE21 |
The Titans gambled on a talented defensive tackle in 2019, taking Jeffery Simmons — who pleaded no contest to simple assault in 2016 — in the first round. This year, their second-round bet on Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat came less than three weeks after authorities in Austin charged him with driving while intoxicated.
Execs had no concerns about Sweat’s talent.
“Oh God, if they get him going, it’s gonna be a helluva combo,” one said.
One year after drafting Simmons, the Titans took Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson in Round 1 despite teams having concerns about his maturity. He was arrested twice during his first season in Tennessee and was traded for a swap of seventh-round picks after playing one regular-season game.
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“They have more willingness to take risk,” another exec said. “Simmons has been a great pick. We’ll see on Sweat.”
Sweat’s weight was a popular topic after he declined to weigh in at the Senior Bowl. He weighed 366 pounds at the combine. Scouts told The Athletic’s Dane Brugler that Sweat played around 380 last season.
“The guy is going to break your heart,” a third exec said.
“At his worst, he will control the A-gaps, which is valuable,” a fourth exec said. “There is real value in that. It’s just, where do you take that pick?”
JC Latham’s selection with the seventh pick was more straightforward. The Titans badly needed help on their line. They will entrust Latham to Bill Callahan, an acclaimed line coach.
“You can argue that Latham is the most talented tackle in the draft,” one exec said.
GO DEEPER
Post-NFL Draft outlook for every team: Which teams improved most? Who has more work ahead?
(Top illustration: Daniel Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos of, from left, Brock Bowers, Drake Maye and Bo Nix: Todd Rosenberg / Getty Images, John Smolek / Icon Sportswire)
