2024 NFL Draft Stock Up
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Throughout the league, the feeling of Nabers being a better prospect than Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is gaining more followers. Teams think you can’t go wrong with either player, but Nabers was very impressive at his pro-day workout. Nabers has elite speed and explosive playmaking ability that has some thinking he could be one of the top receivers in the NFL. Nabers looks like a lock to go in the top six and is in the running to be the first non-quarterback taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. I have him as the second-rated player for the draft in my latest 2024 NFL Draft Big Board.
Ennis Rakestraw, CB, Missouri
There could be a run on cornerbacks that starts in the middle of the first round, so all of the consensus first-round corners could be off the board by the mid 20s. There are teams picking late in the first round that could use cornerback help, including the Detroit Lions at No. 29 and Kansas City Chiefs at No. 32.
The level of need helps Rakestraw, who is in the running to be a first-round pick, per multiple team sources. Rakestraw did not put up huge workout numbers, but sources said his those numbers were impressive considering he was only a few weeks removed from hernia surgery. If he had the luxury of other players with time to train for the workout instead of doing post-surgery rehab, those sources believe Rakestraw would have had very good workout results. Rakestraw is a well-rounded corner and a gritty player who could have his name called on the opening night of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State
Along with a run on cornerbacks, there are not many edge rushers for the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and Robinson will benefit from that weak edge class. It also helps Robinson that there are serious medical concerns with UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu. Robinson has interviewed well plus been a workout warrior. With a number of teams in the 20s needing edge-rush help, Robinson has a real shot to be selected on the opening night of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
Corley is not one of the top-rated wide receiver prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft, but he has picked up steam over the course of the spring. There are some in the media projecting him to be a top-50 pick and a potential late first-rounder in the 2024 NFL Draft. In speaking with some team sources, they didn’t have Corley that high, but they thought he was likely to get selected in the middle of Day 2. Corley has a running back’s build and is a tough runner after the catch that has earned him comparisons to Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. After a lot of pre-draft visits around the league, Corley will probably have plenty of teams targeting him on the second day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville
A number of team sources said they like Brownlee as a third-round sleeper who could turn into a nice value pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. Brownlee (5-10, 194) is a physical cornerback who plays with a nasty demeanor. Teams view him as a potential outside or nickel corner who could possess the upside to develop into a starter. Brownlee looks likely to go in third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and should not slip out of the fourth round.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
There are some teams that are not fans of McKinstry’d football character, but I’ve followed with up with other teams, and all of the latter said they were fine with the makeup on McKinstry. His interviews have been fine, and teams are going to be following up on his foot injury during pre-draft visits. After representing himself well in the interviews, McKinstry looks safe to be picked in the final dozen or so picks of the first round during the 2024 NFL Draft.
2024 NFL Draft Stock Down
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
I moved Mitchell lower in my 2024 NFL Mock Draft after speaking with multiple team sources over the past week. While Mitchell is still viewed as a nice prospect, a few sources said the coaches were not as enamored with his college tape than the post-Senior Bowl and post-combine hype train would suggest. The staffs see some very raw elements to Mitchell’s game and feel he is going to need serious development to avoid giving up some plays to pro receivers. Coming from the MAC, that is somewhat understandable. But as a result of various coaches viewing Mitchell as needing development, he may not be the first cornerback taken in the 2024 NFL Draft and could end up going behind Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and/or Clemson’s Nate Wiggins.