2024 NFL Draft Stock Up
Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State
Hall has impressed team sources with his quickness and ability to hold up at the point of attack. In 2023, Hall has 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks while playing out of position at nose tackle. The 6-foot-2, 290-pounder is a natural three-technique with the ability to fire his gap and get into the backfield. Teams feel Hall could be a good starter in the NFL, and he has the potential to be taken in the back half of the first round during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Adisa Issac, DE, Penn State
While Chop Robinson was expected to be Penn State’s leading pass rusher, Isaac created the most pass-rushing production in 2023 after Robinson was injured. Isaac totaled 7.5 sacks, 35 tackles and a forced fumble during the regular season. He had four sacks in 2022 after missing 2021 with an injury. He totaled a combined three sacks over 2020 and 2019.
Isaac has quality size for the next level and is a good run defender. His pass rush needs to improve for the NFL, but he has the potential to be a starter.
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Newton could be a love/hate prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft. On the positive side, Newton is a skilled interior pass rusher with natural ability to get after the quarterback. On the negative side, Newton can get destroyed in the ground game and turns his play on and off. Still, his interior pass-rush ability was consistent over multiple seasons, and that talent is a hard commodity to find. Hence, Newton could be a first-round pick next April in the 2024 NFL Draft.
DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke
Carter (6-3, 305) was tough player for the Blue Devils in 2023. He was a solid run defender, making 39 tackles while recording one sack. Carter showed more pass-rush production in both 2022 and 2021 with 5.5 sacks and 4.5 sacks, respectively. In 2022, he totaled 36 tackles and three forced fumbles. That was pretty consistent with his 2021 numbers of 37 tackles and four forced fumbles. Carter is a sleeper who could be a nice value pick.
Cedric Johnson, DE, Ole Miss
Johnson had a respectable season for the Rebels in 2023, recording 40 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He previously recorded four sacks in 2022 and 6.5 sacks in 2021. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Johnson is a little undersized, but he has some quickness and athleticism off the edge. He could rise if he does well in the pass-rushing one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl.
Marshawn Kneeland, DT, Western Michigan
Kneeland played well against the run for Western Michigan in 2023, recording 57 tackles. He tied his career high in sacks with 4.5 and two forced fumbles. As a sophomore in 2021, Kneeland had 4.5 sacks. Kneeland received an invitation to the Senior Bowl and he could rise with a good week there.
2024 NFL Draft Stock Down
Jordan Burch, DT, Oregon
Burch was a top recruit at South Carolina, where he never lived up to the billing. For Oregon in 2023, Burch had a good player next to him in Brandon Dorlus who drew attention, but Burch still was pedestrian, recording 27 tackles and three sacks. Burch has physical talent, but he lacks instincts, which makes him more of a late second-day or early third-day prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft even though his talent level suggests he should go higher.
