nfl draft trek

Copyright 2008-2024 Drafttek.com All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy

Neither Drafttek or www.drafttek.com is affiliated in any manner with the National Football League. Nor any National Football League Team, or any NFLPA player.

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

• Anniston/Gadsden

Alabama’s NFL Draft: First-round streak to go on

• Updated: Apr. 07, 2024, 6:11 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 07, 2024, 6:00 a.m.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young passes during an NFL game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

• Mark Inabinett | [email protected]

At the 2023 NFL Draft, Alabama broke the record for the most consecutive years producing a first-round pick, and the Crimson Tide got it out of the way with the first choice.

The Carolina Panthers chose quarterback Bryce Young at No. 1 to extend Alabama’s streak with at least one first-round pick to 15 years. That surpassed the 14 straight years of first-round production by Miami (Fla.) from 1995 through 2008.

More stories on the NFL Draft

• Auburn’s NFL Draft: The third-round running-back pattern
• Alabama’s NFL Draft: Third-round runner rebounds
• The NFL Draft’s Alabama roots: Pick No. 17
• Alabama’s NFL Draft: Another second-round Hall of Famer?
• Auburn’s NFL Draft: Who’s the next second-round gem?

The streak will go on for the Crimson Tide in Detroit on April 25 as Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner, offensive tackle JC Latham and cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry are considered first-round possibilities in the 89th NFL Draft.

Last year, Alabama had three players picked in the first round. Joining Young were linebacker Will Anderson Jr. , who went to the Houston Texans at No. 3, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs , who went to the Detroit Lions at No. 12.

The NFL has held 16 drafts since Nick Saban coached his first game at Alabama, and after 2023′s three-player showing, its teams have selected 44 Tide players in the first round during that span.

In the 72 drafts that preceded Saban’s arrival at Alabama, the Tide produced 33 first-round draft picks.

Saban’s total has benefited over most of the Alabama teams of the past because his Tide career has been spent during the era of the 32-pick first round (although in the first year of the first-round streak, there were 31 selections because the New England Patriots had to forfeit their choice as a Spygate penalty).

Ten Alabama players who were not first-rounders when they were selected would be if they were chosen in the same spot in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Alabama players who have been picked in the first 32 selections of an NFL Draft include:

No. 1 pick : Harry Gilmer, quarterback, Washington Redskins, 1948; Bryce Young, quarterback, Carolina Panthers.

Gilmer led the nation in touchdown passes, interceptions (made, not thrown) and punt-return yards and finished fifth twice in the voting for the Heisman Trophy during his career with the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s only No. 1 pick went to a team that had a future Hall of Famer at quarterback in Sammy Baugh, and injuries limited Gilmer to one game as a rookie. The former Woodlawn High School star spent eight seasons in the NFL (six with Washington and two with the Detroit Lions), went to the Pro Bowl twice and was the Lions’ head coach for two seasons.

Young won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 and finished sixth in the voting for the award in 2022 before the Panthers traded into position to pick him over Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 1 in the 2023 draft. An immediate starter for Carolina, Young had a tough first season as the Panthers posted a 2-15 record and he was sacked 62 times. Young completed 315-of-527 passes for 2,877 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a rookie.

No. 2 picks: Riley Smith, back, Boston Redskins, 1936; Cornelius Bennett, linebacker, Indianapolis Colts, 1987.

Smith was the second player picked in the first NFL Draft, and, in a way, the first drafted player to reach the pros. Jay Berwanger, the first Heisman Trophy winner (before the award was even called that) and the first player picked in the first draft, decided not to play pro football. Smith played quarterback (or blocking back in the nomenclature of the era) in the Redskins’ final season in Boston and two more years in Washington.

Bennett made the Pro Bowl five times and played in 206 regular-season and 21 playoff games, including five Super Bowls, although his team lost in all those NFL championship games. One of the three Alabama players to appear in at least 200 NFL regular-season games, Bennett has the most starts for a Tide alumnus with 204.

No. 3 picks: Chris Samuels, tackle, Washington Redskins, 2000; Marcell Dareus, defensive tackle, Buffalo Bills, 2011; Trent Richardson, running back, Cleveland Browns, 2012; Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle, New York Jets, 2019; Will Anderson Jr., linebacker, Houston Texans, 2023.

Samuels was a six-time Pro Bowler, starting all 141 regular-season games in his NFL career at left offensive tackle for Washington before a spinal condition abruptly ended his career in his 10th season.

Picked in consecutive years, Dareus received two Pro Bowl invitations, earned first-team All-Pro recognition once and was paid $89.532 million while playing in 121 regular-season games in nine NFL seasons while Richardson was traded after his first season and was paid $18.211 million while playing in 46 regular-season games in three seasons.

Williams was a first-team All-Pro selection in his fourth NFL season, signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension and made the Pro Bowl Games again.

Anderson won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year awards presented by The Associated Press and the Pro Football Writers of America. He switched to defensive end with the Texans and coach DeMeco Ryans, a former Alabama linebacker.

No. 4 picks: Lowell Tew, fullback, Washington Redskins, 1948; John Hannah, guard, New England Patriots, 1973; Jon Hand, defensive end, Indianapolis Colts, 1986; Derrick Thomas, linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs, 1989; Keith McCants, linebacker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1990; Amari Cooper, wide receiver, Oakland Raiders, 2015.

Tew did not play in the NFL. Instead of joining Alabama teammate Harry Gilmer, chosen at No. 1 in 1948, in Washington, he got a $10,000 contract from the New York Yankees of the All-American Football Conference. A knee injury and concussion ended his football career in his second season.

Hand spent his entire nine-season NFL career with Indianapolis, playing in 121 regular-season games and one playoff contest for the Colts. He recorded 35.5 sacks in his career, including 10 in 1989. Hand played in only two more NFL games after breaking his leg against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 18, 1994.

Hannah and Thomas are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, taken out of Alabama at No. 4 16 years apart. A member of the NFL All-Time Team chosen for the league’s centennial celebration, Hannah was a seven-time first-team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler for New England. Thomas was a two-time first-team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler for Kansas City.

McCants had knee surgery shortly after being drafted, but he was a full-time starter at defensive end in his second and third seasons with Tampa Bay. But injuries and substance-abuse problems unraveled his career and his life. He played in 88 games and recorded 13.5 sacks in six seasons.

Cooper has been a Pro Bowler five times and is coming off his seventh 1,000-yard receiving season, with a career-high 1,250 for the Cleveland Browns.

No. 5 picks: Vaughn “Cisco” Mancha, center, Boston Yanks, 1948; E.J. Junior, linebacker, St. Louis Cardinals, 1981; John Copeland, defensive end, Cincinnati Bengals, 1993; Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback, Miami Dolphins, 2020.

When the Boston Yanks drafted Mancha, that made three Alabama players picked in the first five selections of the 1948 draft. Washington had chosen Harry Gilmer with the No. 1 pick and Lowell Tew at No. 4. Mancha played one season in the NFL. By the next season, he was the head football coach at Livingston State Teachers College (now West Alabama).

Junior and Copeland had longer careers. In 13 seasons, Junior played in 170 regular-season games and earned Pro Bowl invitations twice and first-team All-Pro recognition once. Copeland played all 107 of his games for Cincinnati.

After sustaining a dislocated hip and posterior wall fracture in his final game for Alabama, Tagovailoa became Miami’s starting quarterback in his seventh game in 2020. Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing-efficiency rating in 2022 even though concussions sidelined him twice. In 2023, Tagovailoa played the entire schedule for the first time, led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards and went to the Pro Bowl Games.

No. 6 picks: Lee Roy Jordan, linebacker, Dallas Cowboys, 1963; Richard Todd, quarterback, New York Jets, 1976; Barry Krauss, linebacker, Baltimore Colts, 1979; Eric Curry, defensive end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1993; Andre Smith, tackle, Cincinnati Bengals, 2009; Julio Jones, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons, 2011; Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver, Miami Dolphins, 2021.

The sixth pick has been a productive one for NFL teams where Alabama players are concerned, and Waddle has kept up the tradition by setting an NFL rookie record for receptions in 2021, leading the league in yards per catch in 2022 and recording another 1,000-yard receiving season in 2023. Jones has seven Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections and has more NFL receiving yards than any other Alabama alumnus. Jordan was a five-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro who has more interceptions than any other Crimson Tide alumnus. All the No. 6 picks have played at least a decade in the NFL except Curry, who had a seven-year career, and Waddle, who’s just getting started.

No. 7 picks: Mark Barron, defensive back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012; Evan Neal, offensive tackle, New York Giants, 2022.

An All-American safety at Alabama, Barron played that position in the pros, too, until moving to outside linebacker in 2015 and inside linebacker in 2017.

Neal has been the Giants’ starting right tackle in both his seasons, but injuries limited him to seven games in 2023.

No. 8 picks: Bobby Marlow, back, New York Giants, 1953; Rolando McClain, linebacker, Oakland Raiders, 2010.

It doesn’t seem possible today that pro teams in Canada could sign players away from the NFL, but that’s what happened with Marlow and others in the 1950s. The former Troy High School star skipped the NFL to sign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he was a two-way star for eight seasons.

McClain retired after his third season, then came back after a one-year hiatus to play two more years with the Dallas Cowboys.

No. 9 picks: Butch Avinger, fullback, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1951; Wilbur Jackson, running back, San Francisco 49ers; 1974; Antonio Langham, defensive back, Cleveland Browns, 1994; Dee Milliner, cornerback, New York Jets, 2013; Patrick Surtain II, cornerback, Denver Broncos, 2021.

Avinger played only one season in the NFL, although he did get off the league’s longest punt that year, which was 1953 -- two years after he’d been drafted. After leaving Alabama, Avinger served a year in the U.S. Army, then signed for a season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union, one of the forebearers of the Canadian Football League.

Until Shaun Alexander came along, Jackson’s 3,852 rushing yards were the most in the NFL by an Alabama alumnus. Jackson closed his career in the Washington Redskins’ 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. Jackson played in only one regular-season game for Washington in the 1982 campaign because he sustained a knee injury in the opener. But he returned to play in all four of Washington’s postseason victories.

Langham had 14 interceptions across seven NFL seasons. Milliner had three in back-to-back games as rookie, but that was all for his 21-game NFL career.

Surtain opened his career as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team in 2021, made first-team All-Pro in 2022 and repeated as a Pro Bowler in 2023.

No. 10 pick: Chance Warmack, guard, Tennessee Titans, 2013; Jedrick Wills Jr., offensive tackle, Cleveland Browns, 2020; DeVonta Smith, wide receiver, Philadelphia Eagles, 2021.

Warmack started at right guard for Tennessee in his first three seasons before getting hurt in the second game of 2016 and missing the rest of the year. He came back to play on the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LII winners.

Wills switched from right tackle at Alabama to start all 53 games of his career so far at left tackle for Cleveland.

The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, Smith started his NFL career with a Philadelphia rookie record of 916 yards, had 1,196 in his second as the Eagles went to Super Bowl LVII and record 1,066 receiving yards in his third season.

No. 11 picks: D.J. Fluker, offensive tackle, San Diego Chargers, 2013; Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety, Miami Dolphins, 2018; Jonah Williams, offensive tackle, Cincinnati Bengals, 2019.

When the San Diego Chargers chose Fluker, the pick was the third in a row from Alabama in the 2013 draft. The New York Jets selected Dee Milliner at No. 9 and the Tennessee Titans took Chance Warmack at No. 10. With 108, Fluker played in more games that Milliner and Warmack combined.

Traded to Pittsburgh two games into his second season, Fitzpatrick has earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 2019, 2020 and 2022 and been a four-time Pro Bowler for the Steelers.

Williams missed his rookie season after suffering a shoulder injury during Cincinnati’s offseason program and missed six more games in 2020, but he was a fixture at left tackle as the Bengals won the AFC championship in 2021.

No. 12 picks: Joe Namath, quarterback, St. Louis Cardinals, 1965; Henry Ruggs III, wide receiver, Las Vegas Raiders, 2020; Jameson Williams, wide receiver, Detroit Lions.

Namath never played for St. Louis, instead signing pro football’s most lucrative contract with the New York Jets when the NFL and AFL were competing for players. Thus, “Broadway Joe” was born and a Pro Football Hall of Fame career started.

Ruggs was the first wide receiver chosen in the 2020 NFL Draft. But his NFL career ended after he was charged in 2021 in a fatal traffic accident and released by Las Vegas.

Williams sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the 2021 CFP national championship game, which delayed the start of his NFL career. He had only two touches as a rookie, but they went for a 41-yard touchdown reception and a 40-yard run. In is second season, Williams raised his production to 24 receptions for 354 yards and two touchdowns and three carries for 29 yards and one TD.

No. 13 picks: Joe Kilgrow, back, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1938; Daron Payne, defensive tackle, Washington Redskins, 2018.

After finishing fifth in the 1937 Heisman Trophy balloting, Kilgrow did not play in the NFL. He joined the Alabama coaching staff instead and later became the superintendent of the university’s golf course. Kilgrow also played two seasons of minor-league baseball, with the Class B Montgomery Rebels of the Southeastern League and the Class D Troy Trojans of the Alabama State League.

Payne’s selection made it two consecutive seasons that the Redskins had used their first-round pick to draft a defensive lineman from Alabama. As with Jonathan Allen in 2017, Payne stepped directly into Washington’s starting lineup. He made the Pro Bowl in 2022, then signed a $90 million contract with the Commanders.

No. 14 picks: Tarzan White, guard, New York Giants, 1937; Marty Lyons, defensive end, New York Jets, 1979.

White played on the New York Giants’ 1938 NFL championship team. Lyons was a starter for 11 seasons with the New York Jets and is a member of the team’s Ring of Honor for his role in the New York Sack Exchange.

No. 15 picks: Ed Salem, defensive back, Washington Redskins, 1951; Jerry Jeudy, wide receiver, Denver Broncos, 2020; Mac Jones, quarterback, New England Patriots, 2021.

After intercepting five passes in 12 games for Washington in 1951, Salem played a season of football in Canada, where he set a record by kicking a 53-yard field goal for the Montreal Alouettes in 1952.

After recording 211 receptions for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons with the Broncos, Jeudy was traded to the Cleveland Browns this offseason.

Jones started every game for New England and played in the Pro Bowl to cap his rookie season. But in 2023, he lost the starting job, and the Patriots traded Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason.

No. 16 picks: Mike Pitts, defensive tackle, Atlanta Falcons, 1983; Marlon Humphrey, cornerback, Baltimore Ravens, 2017.

Pitts played in 169 regular-season games in 12 seasons.

In his third NFL season, Humphrey earned first-team All-Pro recognition with Baltimore and received Pro Bowl selection again in 2020 and 2022.

No. 17 picks: Dre Kirkpatrick, cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals, 2012; C.J. Mosley, linebacker, Baltimore Ravens, 2013; Jonathan Allen, defensive end, Washington Redskins, 2017; Alex Leatherwood, offensive tackle, Oakland Raiders, 2021.

Kirkpatrick played in 119 games and intercepted 13 passes, including one that he returned for 101 yards without scoring.

Mosley earned Pro Bowl recognition in four of his five seasons with Baltimore, then moved to the New York Jets for a five-year, $85 million contract in free agency and got another Pro Bowl nod in 2022.

Allen received his first Pro Bowl invitation in 2021, when Leatherwood broke into the NFL by starting every game for Las Vegas. Allen earned Pro Bowl recognition again in 2022, when Leatherwood got released and landed with the Chicago Bears.

No. 18 picks: Bob Cryder, tackle, New England Patriots, 1978; Ryan Kelly, center, Indianapolis Colts, 2016.

Cryder spent nine seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman, but he didn’t do what Kelly has done – make the Pro Bowl, which the center had done four times.

No. 19 picks: Shaun Alexander, running back, Seattle Seahawks, 2000; O.J. Howard, tight end, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2017.

Alexander is one of four Alabama alumni to have been the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. He won the award with Seattle in 2005, when he led the NFL with 1,880 rushing yards and scored a league-record 27 rushing touchdowns. Bart Starr was the MVP in 1966 with the Green Bay Packers, and Ken Stabler was the MVP in 1974 with the Oakland Raiders. Don Hutson won the Joe F. Carr Trophy, the NFL’s original MVP Award, in 1941 and 1942 with the Packers. Hutson wasn’t drafted because he entered the NFL before the first draft in 1936.

Howard’s injury-affected career produced 129 receptions for 1,882 yards and 17 touchdowns in six seasons.

No. 20 picks: Dennis Homan, wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys, 1968; Dwayne Rudd, linebacker, Minnesota Vikings, 1997; Kareem Jackson, cornerback, Houston Texans, 2010.

Homan held Alabama’s single-season record for receiving yards for 25 seasons, but in his NFL career, he totaled 37 receptions for 619 yards and two touchdowns.

Rudd led the NFL in fumble-return yards with a league-record 157 in the second of his seven seasons. He returned a fumble 63 yards for a touchdown in Minnesota’s 24-3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 15 and returned another 94 yards for a touchdown in the Vikings’ 48-22 victory over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 6.

Only one Alabama alumnus has more NFL starts than Jackson’s 193 – Cornelius Bennett with 204.

No. 21 picks: Don McNeal, cornerback, Miami Dolphins, 1980; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, safety, Green Bay Packers, 2014.

McNeal played in 110 regular-season and 10 playoff games, and Clinton-Dix was a Pro Bowler for Green Bay in 2016.

No. 22 pick: Rashaan Evans, linebacker, Tennessee Titans, 2018.

Evans made 159 tackles in 2022, his only season with the Atlanta Falcons.

No. 23 picks: Charley Holm, back, Washington Redskins, 1939; Ozzie Newsome, tight end, Cleveland Browns, 1978.

Holm sustained a knee injury that ended his career before he ever played a game for Washington.

Newsome spent his entire 13-season NFL playing career with Cleveland and holds the franchise record for receptions and receiving yards. The former Colbert County High School star has been in the Pro Football Hall of Fame since 1999.

No. 24 picks: Butch Wilson, tight end, Baltimore Colts, 1963; Josh Jacobs, running back, Oakland Raiders, 2019; Najee Harris, running back, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2021.

Wilson caught 25 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in seven NFL seasons. He spent his first five NFL campaigns behind future Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey, then was traded for Earl Morrall.

Jacobs was the Pro Football Writers of America’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, when he ran for 1,150 yards in 13 games. He had another 1,000-yard season and received Pro Bowl recognition in 2020. In 2022, Jacobs was the first-team All-Pro running back as he led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards.

Harris started his NFL career by leading the league in touches as Pittsburgh’s workhorse. He had 1,200 rushing yards, the most by a rookie from Alabama, and played in the Pro Bowl to cap his rookie season. With 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, Harris became the 18th player in NFL history to open his career with three in a row.

No. 25 picks: Fred Davis, tackle, Washington Redskins, 1941; Emanuel King, linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals, 1985; James Carpenter, offensive tackle, Seattle Seahawks, 2011; Dont’a Hightower, linebacker, New England Patriots, 2012.

Davis played on NFL championship teams in 1942 with Washington and 1946 with the Chicago Bears, Carpenter did the same in 2013 with Seattle, and Hightower played on three NFL championship teams -- for the 2014, 2016 and 2018 seasons -- with New England. King played in the Super Bowl, but Cincinnati lost that NFL title game 20-16 to the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 22, 1989.

No. 26 picks: Les Kelley, linebacker, New Orleans Saints, 1967; Fernando Bryant, defensive back, Jacksonville Jaguars, 1999; Calvin Ridley, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons, 2018.

Kelley was the first player drafted by the Saints. An expansion team, New Orleans held the No. 1 pick in the 1967 draft but traded it to Baltimore for quarterback Gary Cuozzo, who’d been Johnny Unitas’ backup with the Colts. Baltimore used the No. 1 pick on Michigan State defensive end Bubba Smith, who was a two-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro in 1971. Center Bill Curry, who went from the Saints to the Colts in the deal, also became a two-time Pro Bowler for Baltimore (and later the Crimson Tide’s head coach). Kelley played in 30 games, with one start, in three seasons.

Ridley made the NFL All-Rookie team in 2018, then caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020. He missed the 2022 season on an NFL suspension for betting on league games and came back with 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. This offseason, the Tennessee Titans signed Ridley to a four-year, $90 million in free agency.

No. 28 picks: Joe Domnanovich, center, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1943; Mark Ingram, running back, New Orleans Saints, 2011.

Domnanovich’s six NFL seasons (split between the Boston Yanks and the New York Bulldogs) didn’t start until 1946 because of his service in World War II.

Ingram was Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 2009 and the first running back selected in the 2011 draft. In the NFL, he was a two-time 1,000-yard rusher and Pro Bowler with New Orleans, and he reached those milestones again in his first season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019.

No. 29 pick: George Teague, defensive back, Green Bay Packers, 1993.

Teague played in 133 regular-season and 12 playoff games in nine NFL seasons. In 1999, he led the league with two interception-return touchdowns, going 32 yards in Dallas’ 35-7 victory over Arizona on Oct. 3 and 95 yards in the Cowboys’ 27-13 victory over Green Bay on Nov. 14.

No. 30 picks: Bobby Wood, tackle, Cleveland Rams, 1940; Johnny Davis, running back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1978.

Wood played in three NFL games – none for the Rams – before heading for the military and World War II.

A fullback in 10 NFL seasons, Davis earned a Super Bowl ring with the San Francisco 49ers in 1981, when he scored seven touchdowns on 94 rushing attempts plus another one on four postseason carries.

No. 31 picks: Paul “Bear” Bryant, end, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1936; Reuben Foster, linebacker, San Francisco 49ers, 2017.

In 10 NFL drafts, the league’s Brooklyn franchise selected 10 players from Alabama, starting with Bryant. He never played in the NFL. Instead, Bryant stepped right into coaching and went on to become a college football icon and a Crimson Tide legend.

Foster made the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team, but an offseason knee injury in 2019 wrecked his career. He’s come back to play in the USFL in 2023 and UFL in 2024.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM ’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR  NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at  @AMarkG1 .

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

NFL Draft team guides 2024: Each team’s picks, predictions and needs

The 2024 NFL Draft is nearly upon us. The three-day event spanning 257 glorious selections will take place in Detroit from April 25-27.

We’ll have mock drafts, big boards, analysis and much more as draft day approaches. But it’s time here to address the nitty gritty.

— The Beast is coming! Keep your eyes peeled for Dane Brugler’s annual guide to the NFL Draft, publishing Wednesday, April 10.

Advertisement

When is the NFL Draft?

• Round 1: April 25, 8 p.m. ET • Rounds 2-3: April 26, 7 p.m. ET • Rounds 4-7: April 27, Noon ET

How can I watch the NFL Draft?

All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. Sign up

Full draft order

Linked here is our regularly updated list of every pick in the seven-round 2024 NFL Draft .

Below is our team-by-team list of picks:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta falcons.

• Falcons NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Falcons mock draft | Big board

Baltimore Ravens

• Ravens NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Ravens mock draft | Big board

Buffalo Bills

• Bills NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Bills mock draft

Carolina Panthers

• Panthers NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Panthers mock draft

Chicago Bears

• Bears NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Bears mock draft | Big board

Cincinnati Bengals

• Bengals NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Bengals mock draft | Big board

Cleveland Browns

• Browns NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Browns mock draft | Big board

Dallas Cowboys

• Cowboys NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Cowboys mock draft | Big board

Denver Broncos

• Broncos NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Broncos mock draft | Big board

Detroit Lions

• Lions NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Lions mock draft | Big board

Green Bay Packers

• Packers NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Packers mock draft | Big board

Houston Texans

Indianapolis colts.

• Colts NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Colts big board

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas city chiefs.

• Chiefs NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Chiefs mock draft | Big board

Las Vegas Raiders

• Raiders NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Raiders mock draft | Big board

Los Angeles Chargers

• Chargers NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Chargers mock draft | Big board

Los Angeles Rams

• Rams NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota vikings.

• Vikings NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Vikings mock draft | Big board

New England Patriots

• Patriots NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Patriots mock draft | Big board

New Orleans Saints

New york giants.

• Giants NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Giants big board

New York Jets

• Jets NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Jets mock draft | Big board

Philadelphia Eagles

• Eagles NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Eagles mock draft | Big board

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Steelers NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Steelers mock draft

San Francisco 49ers

• 49ers NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest 49ers mock draft

Seattle Seahawks

• Seahawks NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Seahawks mock draft

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee titans.

• Latest Titans mock draft

Washington Commanders

• Commanders NFL Draft guide: Picks, predictions and needs

• Latest Commanders mock draft

(Photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• Masters Live
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Horse Racing 

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• Eye On College Basketball
• The First Cut Golf
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

2024 NFL Draft: Here's how sportsbooks see the top of the draft unfolding weeks before the event

This is how vegas sees the draft starting.

The 2024 NFL Draft is now less than three weeks away, and there are plenty of questions we all are wondering. How many quarterbacks will go in the top five, and who could be aggressive enough to trade up for one? Is it possible NFL teams aren't as high on this quarterback class as some appear to be? Who will be the first wide receiver drafted?

The NFL Draft has also evolved into a gambling event, as sportsbooks release odds for the player who will go No. 1 overall, the player who will go first among those who play his position, and even positional props for certain teams. At this point, Vegas has odds for the first players off the board, so let's explore how Caesars Sportsbook specifically sees the first seven picks playing out. Remember, it doesn't matter which team selects the player, but where they go in terms of No. 1 overall, No. 2, No. 3, etc. 

1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC (-10000)

Other odds : Jayden Daniels (+2500), Drake Maye (+3000), Marvin Harrison Jr. (+6000)

The pick everyone is expecting by now. The Chicago Bears traded away  Justin Fields  to the Pittsburgh Steelers  earlier this offseason, and will hold onto the top pick this time around. Williams is considered the best quarterback in this class, and he recorded the most passing yards (8,170), total yards (8,673) and scored the most total touchdowns (93) in a two-year span in USC history. 

2. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU (-200)

Other odds : Drake Maye (+150), J.J. McCarthy (+475), Marvin Harrison Jr. (+3500), Caleb Williams (+3500)

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has appeared to have surpassed Drake Maye as the favorite to go No. 2 overall. His 2023 campaign was one for the books, as he recorded the highest passer efficiency rating (208.0) in a season in FBS history, and led the FBS in total yards per game (412.2) and total touchdowns per game (4.2). Daniels is a dual-threat weapon who led the FBS in not only yards per attempt (11.7), but also yards per rush (8.4). Is he the better fit for Kliff Kingsbury's offense? That's what the Washington Commanders will have to decide if they hold onto this pick. 

3. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (-120)

Other odds : Jayden Daniels (-110), J.J. McCarthy (+375), Marvin Harrison Jr. (+450)

Vegas sees three quarterbacks coming off the board to begin the draft, but it remains to be seen if the draft order will remain the same at the top. Maye was the only FBS player to record 7,000-plus passing yards and 1,000-plus rushing yards over the past two seasons, and was the 2022 ACC Player of the Year. He recorded the third-most total yards (9,076) in a two-year span in ACC history behind Deshaun Watson  (2015-16) and Lamar Jackson  (2016-17).

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on  "With the First Pick"  -- our year-round  NFL Draft  podcast with  NFL Draft  analyst Ryan Wilson and former  Vikings  general manager Rick Spielman. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts:  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify ,  YouTube , etc. Listen below!

4. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State (-200)

Other odds : J.J. McCarthy (+150), Drake Maye (+900), Malik Nabers (+1200), Jayden Daniels (+1200)

The Arizona Cardinals currently reside at No. 4 overall, and while they could trade down, general manager Monti Ossenfort could also take the first non-QB in the draft. Arizona needs to upgrade its wide receiver room, so the Cards could take the best wideout in this class. By the way, look at Harrison's odds to go No. 4 compared to Malik Nabers'.

Harrison is a two-time Unanimous All-American who recorded the most receiving yards (2,474) and receiving touchdowns (28) in a two-year span in Ohio State history. He's the only player in Big Ten history to catch 14 touchdowns in multiple seasons. 

5. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU (+200)

Other odds : Marvin Harrison Jr. (+200), J.J. McCarthy (+250), Joe Alt (+500)

As you see, Nabers and Harrison actually have the same odds to go No. 5 overall, but Harrison is also the favorite at No. 4, so let's talk about Nabers. The LSU product caught 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games played last season. Those 1,569 receiving yards ranked sixth-most in SEC history. Nabers also recorded the most receptions (189) and receiving yards (3,003) in LSU history. Some believe he's the best wideout in this class . 

6. Undecided

Odds : Malik Nabers (+140), Rome Odunze (+400), J.J. McCarthy (+500), Joe Alt (+750), Marvin Harrison Jr. (+800)

Vegas isn't exactly sure who will go No. 6 overall, but Caesars clearly believes Nabers is slated to go at No. 5 or No. 6. The New York Giants are currently sitting at No. 6, and they could be in the market for a receiver or a quarterback. 

Some believe the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5 overall are the first trade-down team to watch. But do quarterback-needy teams really view McCarthy as a top-five pick? If they do, it makes sense why Nabers would be considered the favorite here. 

7. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame (-130)

Other odds : Olu Fashanu (+700), Taliese Fuaga (+700), Rome Odunze (+700), Malik Nabers (+1200)

Alt is considered by many to be the top offensive tackle in this class, and the Tennessee Titans  at No. 7 certainly need one. Apart from Caleb Williams to the Bears at No. 1 overall, Alt to the Titans at No. 7 overall has to be one of the more popular mock selections. The All-American left tackle has great size at 6-foot-9 and 321 pounds, and he registered the highest overall PFF grade by an FBS offensive lineman last season with a 90.7. 

The Titans could take the first offensive lineman in the draft, but you can never rule out a trade down.

Our Latest NFL Stories

Henry says Ravens were 'always my No. 1 option'

Garrett podell • 1 min read.

Why Diggs should return to superstar form with Texans

Douglas clawson • 3 min read.

NFL position-specific helmet options increase in 2024

Shanna mccarriston • 2 min read.

Pats' Gonzalez changes number never worn before by team

Tyler sullivan • 1 min read.

With the First Pick: NFC East goes offense in mock

Chris trapasso • 4 min read.

Chiefs superfan ordered to pay $10.8M in robbery case

Chris bengel • 2 min read, share video.

How sportsbooks see the 2024 NFL Draft playing out

Mock: Penix in Round 1; NFC East goes offense

Top defensive FAs remaining by position

Top offensive FAs remaining by position

Five AFC teams that must ace NFL Draft

Five NFC teams that must ace NFL Draft

Lamb talks Cowboys future amid holdout speculation

Jets owner addresses Aaron Rodgers' VP interest

Two-time Patriots Super Bowl champion retiring

Eagles mock draft 2024: How Philly's big trade will shake up 1st round − with more to come

If we know one thing about Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, it's that he will make a trade during the upcoming NFL draft.

Most likely, it'll be more than one.

Last year, for example, Roseman made six trades during the three-day draft weekend, beginning in the first round when Roseman moved up one spot from No. 10 to No. 9 for defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

That marked the third straight year that the Eagles traded up in the first round alone. In 2022, they moved up from No. 15 to No. 13 for Jordan Davis. In 2021, they moved up from No. 12 to No. 10 for DeVonta Smith.

What will it be this year? Will the Eagles move up from No. 22? Will they move back or stand pat? The last time they had a pick in the 20s, in 2020, they took wide receiver Jalen Reagor at No. 21. Justin Jefferson went to Minnesota one pick later.

Here's an Eagles mock draft based on trades, using the points system devised by drafttek.com:

Round 1, No. 16, Brian Thomas, WR, LSU

The deal: Eagles trade up with Seattle for Thomas at No. 16 (1,000 points). The Eagles will give up their pick at No. 22 (780 points), their first of three fifth-rounders this year (27 points), and their third-rounder in 2025 (roughly 150 points).

Why: Thomas can immediately step in as a No. 3 receiver who can play in the slot and on the outside, then eventually take over in 2026 if the Eagles can't afford to keep A.J. Brown. The Eagles will be left with only 5 picks in 2025 (first, second, fifth and 2 seventh-rounders), but they can get one or two back later in the draft.

The Eagles have shown that if there's a player they want, they'll trade up to get him. They'll have to for Thomas because Cincinnati, at No. 18, is reportedly looking to trade Tee Higgins.

MOCK DRAFT 3.0: How free agent frenzy changes strategy. Think AJ Brown, Lane Johnson

MAILATA'S MILLIONS: Jordan Mailata: From rugby to earning $100+ million in Eagles career with new mega contract

Round 2, No. 50, Jordan Morgan, LT, Arizona

The Eagles stand pat and make this pick. Just like the Thomas pick, the Eagles are looking to both the present and the future. Morgan can serve as the swing tackle behind left tackle Jordan Mailata and right tackle Lane Johnson. Mailata just signed an extension through 2028, but Johnson has hinted that his current contract that runs through 2026 will be his final one. Johnson will be 36 when it expires.

Why not take a cornerback? Because the best tackle available in Morgan is better than the best cornerback available at this spot. And if Johnson or Mailata get hurt, Morgan has a better chance of being ready to play as a rookie than a cornerback drafted here.

Round 3, No. 74, TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State

The deal: The Eagles trade back from No. 53 (370 points) with Atlanta for No. 74 (220 points) and a third-round pick in 2025 (roughly 160 points).

Why: The corners who would be available in the second round aren't much better than those in the third round. Plus, the Eagles would recoup the third-round pick in 2025 that they'll be giving up to get Thomas in the first round.

Tampa, at 6-foot-1, 189 pounds, has good size, and he could find himself in a four-way competition with James Bradberry, Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks to start opposite Darius Slay. Ringo and Ricks both had valuable experience last season, so they could be ahead of whoever the Eagles draft at corner. This pick is more for the future, when both Slay and Bradberry won't be on the team. That could come this season for Bradberry, and perhaps a year from now for Slay.

Round 4, No. 120, Jalyx Hunt, Edge, Houston Christian

This is the pick the Eagle got in the Kenny Pickett trade last month. The Eagles gave Pittsburgh their third-round pick at No. 97, plus two of their four seventh-round picks in 2025. Hunt ran a 4.64 in the 40, but would need time to develop. For 2024, he can learn from Brandon Graham, who's 36 and in his last season, while rotating in behind Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat, Graham and Nolan Smith.

It would be tempting to go for a tight end or running back here. But the Eagles re-signed Albert Okwuegbunam to back up Dallas Goedert, and they also have Grant Calcaterra. They addressed running back with Giants star Saquon Barkley. They also have Kenny Gainwell, Tyrion Davis-Price and Lew Nichols for depth.

Round 5, No. 171, Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame

This is one of the Eagles' two fifth-round compensatory picks. Even though the Eagles signed Devin White in free agency, it's only for one year. At 6-2, 234, Liufau could serve as a nickel linebacker while providing valuable help on special teams. And if he develops, he could start next to Nakobe Dean in 2025. If not, the Eagles can keep going the veteran free agent route.

Round 5, No. 172, trade

The deal: The Eagles trade this pick to the Jets for the Jets' fifth-round pick in 2025. This Eagles' pick is their second comp pick, so the Eagles should be picking at least a dozen spots higher in the fifth round in 2025 after this trade.

Why: The Eagles get more draft capital for next year to continue building for the future.

Round 6, No. 210, Matthew Jones, G, Ohio State

The Eagles signed C/G Matt Hennessey in free agency, but for only one year. They need more depth and youth after losing backups Sua Opeta and Jack Driscoll in free agency. Jones will thus enter Stoutland University to learn from offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Jones is talented, but needs work on run-blocking. If he studies hard, he can provide depth if Hennessey doesn't return in 2025.

Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

Cooper DeJean the latest NFL draft find from Iowa

Cooper DeJean intercepts Destin Wade and returns it for Iowa's third touchdown. (0:43)

• Graduate of Northwestern University. Follow on X

Kirk Ferentz has an encyclopedic recall of Iowa players, the result of a quarter-century as Hawkeyes head coach, plus another nine years as an assistant.

Mention a current Hawkeye, and Ferentz reflexively lists two or three from his own past, noting details about their play style, top moments, personality, NFL path and more. But Cooper DeJean , Iowa's ubiquitous star defensive back, projected to go in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft, elicits a different type of response.

When watching DeJean last season, Ferentz kept thinking about a player he never coached or even met, who competed for Iowa and died more than a decade before Ferentz was born. The most hallowed name in program history and one of the state's sporting heroes, whose legacy is celebrated at every Iowa home game -- that's the comp Ferentz selects for DeJean.

"I don't know how many players have been better than him, however long we've been playing football, 1889," Ferentz said of DeJean. "Nile Kinnick's name is up on the stadium."

Kinnick is Iowa's only Heisman Trophy winner. In 1939, he played 402 of 420 minutes, contributed to 107 of the team's 130 points scored, led the nation in kickoff return yards and intercepted eight passes, a team record now shared. He's in Iowa's athletics Hall of Fame for both football and basketball, and caught pitches from Bob Feller on an American Legion team. Kinnick excelled at whatever he did and wherever he did it -- from his hometown of Adel, Iowa, to the stadium that would later bear his name.

DeJean is shaping his legend from similar Iowa soil, as a four-sport star from the tiny town of Odebolt, and an alphabet soup high school (OABCIG) within the state that delivered "Field of Dreams." His high school career featured championships and highlights, but also intrigue, because he competed in such a sparsely populated area. His most famous play at Iowa didn't actually count.

DeJean's post-Iowa path will be dramatically different from Kinnick's. ESPN's Mel Kiper and others expect him to become the first Iowa defensive back taken in the first round of the NFL draft under Ferentz, and the first from Iowa since Tom Knight went No. 9 overall in 1997. Although DeJean played multiple defensive back positions at Iowa and dazzled on punt returns, he's being evaluated primarily as a cornerback.

"It just seems like everything he does, he's good and he wins," Ferentz said of DeJean.

So, who is Cooper DeJean, and why do Iowa's program stewards already consider him a living legend?

TYLER BARNES WILL owe Travis Schroeder for life.

Barnes, Iowa's director of recruiting, used to live next door to Schoeder, not far from Iowa's campus. A native of Odebolt, Schroeder would pepper his neighbor about an emerging star athlete from his hometown.

Schroeder had never seen DeJean play but heard all the buzz. Plus, he knew DeJean's family. DeJean's grandfather, Al Wilke, coached Schroeder in high school football. When DeJean's parents moved to town from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, they opened a bar and grill -- originally called Cobe's, for Cooper and his younger brother Beckett, and now called The Bowling Alley -- that is owned by Schroeder's relatives.

So it goes in Odebolt, a town of fewer than 1,000 residents in the northwest part of the state.

"You can get from one end to another in probably five minutes," DeJean said. "We've got no stoplights, we've got two bar and grills, two gas stations, probably seven total stop signs."

Added Schroeder: "You'll drive through town and you might not see a car. You might not see a person."

While attending an Iowa basketball game with Barnes, Schroeder again told his friend to consider DeJean.

"Trav," Schroeder remembered Barnes jokingly saying, "there are no D-I athletes coming out of Odebolt."

The truth: Iowa prided itself on identifying small-town prospects from the state, often overlooked as recruits, and developing them into big-stage stars. The team has sent several to the NFL, such as Panthers linebacker Josey Jewell, who grew up on a farm in Decorah (population: 7,747), or Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, from Chariton (population: 4,220). The Odebolt area hadn't produced many top-division players, but Trever Ryen, who attended DeJean's high school, walked on at Iowa State and became an All-Big 12 punt returner and a solid wide receiver.

Barnes watched film of DeJean.

"Maybe this kid's got a chance," he told himself.

DeJEAN COMPETED IN football, basketball, track and baseball, and, as a young boy, wrestling and soccer. He played everything -- not just because he wanted to -- but also out of necessity.

Odebolt and its surrounding towns -- Arthur, Battle Creek and Ida Grove -- need their best athletes to participate in all sports. The towns feed into the same middle school, in Odebolt, and the same high school, about 15 minutes from DeJean's home, in Ida Grove. Initially two separate school districts spread out over four counties and 259 square miles, they merged in 2018 to form OABCIG.

Sports resonated in the area, especially for the DeJeans. Cooper's father, Jason, played basketball at Huron University in South Dakota. His mom, Katie, played basketball and softball at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa. Wilke, Katie's father, coached and was involved in sports, often taking Cooper and his younger brothers to fields and courts around town.

"That's something they stressed to me: 'Play all the sports, there's no need to specialize in one,'" Cooper said. "That's the only time in your life where you can play multiple sports, so why not play all four in high school?"

At OABCIG High, he was a three-time all-state selection in football with two state titles. His credentials included: 1,832 career points in basketball, more than Harrison Barnes, the McDonald's All-American out of Ames High School now with the Sacramento Kings; state champion for long jump and 100-meter dash as a senior; all-state honors in football, basketball and track as a senior; three letters in baseball, which is played in the summer, while also juggling AAU basketball. In 2021, DeJean was named Iowa High School Male Athlete of the Year by the Des Moines Register.

Many pegged DeJean -- at 6 foot and ½ -- to play basketball in college.

"If he was 6-4 or 6-5, he probably wouldn't be playing football," Jason DeJean said.

Larry Allen, DeJean's football coach at OABCIG High, didn't have many reference points in predicting DeJean's college path.

"One kid that played at [Northern Iowa] and one kid that played at Iowa State is all I've ever had, so you didn't really understand the talent level," Allen said. "A few people asked: Is this what a D-I guy looks like? Is he really that good? He's pretty dang good, but you just wonder."

DeJean came to Iowa's campus 12 or 13 times, including the team's football camp, but didn't secure an offer right away, for two reasons. He needed a position after logging snaps at quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back for OABCIG. He also needed a personality.

"He could sit on a Zoom call and just stare at you for two hours without saying a word," Barnes said. "This kid, does he have a pulse? Is there a heartbeat? Cooper, just give us something. Smile, laugh. He was just so serious."

DeJean was very reserved, but his athletic success reverberated, leading to an Iowa offer. Many of DeJean's best highlights came on the basketball court, where he began dunking the summer before his freshman year of high school. So in January 2020, Barnes made the trek to Odebolt for a basketball game. Coaches from two other major conference schools also attended. Barnes remembers them fussing over what position DeJean would play. Other than Iowa, DeJean had offers from only FCS programs in the Dakotas.

As Barnes watched, DeJean opened the game with five consecutive dunks.

"Three of them were over 6-foot-4 guys," Barnes said. "I'm just sitting there, giggling, like, 'You [other schools] are nuts. This kid is something. I don't know what he is. But you don't see that in Iowa very often, those type of athletic traits.'"

Barnes texted Iowa's staff: He's the real deal. DeJean wanted to play quarterback, though, and Iowa pegged him for defense. He had official visits to Virginia and Kansas State scheduled but canceled them after COVID-19 hit in March 2020.

Around that time, Barnes texted DeJean, telling him that he belonged at Iowa, and to trust the team's projection for him, as "a high-level safety." To Barnes' surprise, DeJean responded and committed on the spot.

"We lucked into him," Barnes said. "I wish I could say we had a great evaluation, but thank god for my neighbor Travis."

Cooper DeJean returns punt for a 54-yard Iowa touchdown to grab the lead, but it is taken off the board after DeJean appeared to motion for a fair catch.

LEGENDS ARE MOLDED through moments, and DeJean delivered plenty, both before and after he came to Iowa.

There was his final high school game, the 2020 state championship against Van Meter at Northern Iowa's UNI-Dome. In the final five minutes, he blocked an extra-point attempt to keep OABCIG at a single-score deficit, returned a punt 14 yards and then scored a touchdown and the tying two-point conversion, both on runs, with 1:30 left.

Van Meter fumbled the ensuing kickoff, recovered by DeJean's younger brother, Beckett. On the next play, Cooper kept the ball, ran to his left, wriggled free of a defender, stopped, reversed field, broke two more tackles and scored the winning touchdown. OABCIG won the final 25 games of DeJean's high school career and its first two state titles. He accounted for 9,520 total yards and 132 touchdowns during the stretch.

"He did everything," Ferentz said. "Some guys just seem to do things other people can't do."

Cooper barely played as a freshman at Iowa, not even making the travel roster for early games such as the Cy-Hawk clash at Iowa State. But he found a role on special teams and started the regular-season finale against Nebraska at safety.

DeJean's playmaking prowess was on full display in 2022. After a quiet season opener, he had interceptions in his next three games, scoring his first touchdown on a 45-yard return against Rutgers. In a 24-10 win against Wisconsin that season, DeJean had a pick-six, 10 tackles (one for loss) and 81 punt return yards, including a 41-yard runback. He also downed a punt at the Wisconsin 1-yard line. He finished with three pick-sixes that fall, setting Iowa's single-season record and tying the career mark.

His most impressive play came last season and didn't even count. Iowa trailed Minnesota 12-10 late in the fourth quarter and seemed unlikely to generate points from its woeful offense. After Iowa forced a three-and-out, DeJean fielded a punt off a bounce near midfield, right beside the Minnesota sideline.

DeJean eluded the grasp of two Gophers, raced up the sideline, cut back through the arm of another and then outraced Kerry Brown for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:21 left. Had Kinnick ever been louder?

"Probably would have been the greatest play in the history of Iowa football had it counted," Ferentz said. "I'm still trying to figure out how that wasn't a legal play."

After a review, officials ruled that DeJean had made an invalid fair catch signal by waving his left arm before scooping up the ball. Still, it put DeJean's game-breaking abilities on full display.

"He's got great speed and great ball skills, but his ability to be balanced and his footwork is so good," defensive coordinator Phil Parker said. "He's kind of a rare guy. Everybody said, 'Wow, look at what you did to Cooper.' Well, Cooper did that to himself. Cooper made who he is today because of the drive that he has to be great."

NILE KINNICK DID it all for Iowa. His team records on offense and defense lasted for decades. His Big Ten record for single-game punt return yards spanned from 1939 until Maryland's William Likely broke it in 2015. Although Iowa has popularized "Punting is Winning" in recent years, Kinnick still holds records for single-game punts (16) and punt yards (731).

DeJean shined on defense and special teams, but a drumbeat grew for him to see time on offense, especially as Iowa reached historic lows for production.

"There were signs up around town," Jason DeJean said. "There was a place in Ida Grove that had a billboard: Put Cooper on offense. I would have loved to see more of that, but it didn't work out."

As Ferentz mulled whether to use Cooper on offense, he remembered what his predecessor Hayden Fry once said: If Ohio State loses a player, the next one might be better. We don't have that here. In mid-November, Ferentz relented and DeJean started getting reps on offense. But during a practice he fractured his left fibula, ending his season.

"There's a lot of irony in that," Ferentz said.

DeJean still received consensus All-America honors despite missing the final four games, including the Big Ten championship. He won the Big Ten's individual awards for defensive back and return specialist.

If DeJean had elected to return as a senior in 2024, Ferentz ensured he would have had a more significant role for the Hawkeyes' offense.

"I told him if he came back, he'd be one of those guys like Nile Kinnick, put his name on a building," Parker said. "I never saw Nile Kinnick play, but all I can say is [DeJean] is the version of what I think he would be today."

On Jan. 4, DeJean declared for the draft. While recovering from leg surgery, he attended the NFL combine but didn't participate in on-field tests. He started to run at full speed in February, but did only the bench press at Iowa's pro day last month. DeJean is set to run the 40-yard dash and participate in all drills and tests for teams Monday in Iowa City. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter , DeJean sent a letter to NFL clubs last week informing them he has been cleared to return to all football activities.

He's the latest in a line of notable defensive backs under Ferentz and Parker, who coached the secondary for his first 13 years on staff before taking over as coordinator. Iowa has had 17 defensive backs selected since the 2000 draft, including eventual All-Pros in Desmond King, Micah Hyde and Bob Sanders. Since the Big Ten launched its individual position awards in 2011, Iowa has won six times with six different players. No other team has won more than twice.

The Hawkeyes also have consistently produced first-round picks, 13 in all under Ferentz, including two last year and another in 2022. But none played defensive back.

"If you had retro picks, then we'd have more first-rounders," Ferentz said. "Bob Sanders should have been a first-rounder, and if he was 6-foot, I'm sure he would have been. But if he was 6-foot, he would have gone to Penn State and they would have recruited him. But he was 5-foot-8, and he didn't.

"But it'd be nice if it happens, mostly just for Cooper's sake, a nice feather in his cap."

Much of DeJean's NFL evaluation is assessing what he will be at the next level. In 2022, he started 10 games at cornerback and three at the cash position, a safety-linebacker hybrid. He practiced early in his career at safety, but started every game last fall at corner before the injury.

"Some teams might think he's a nickel, some teams might think he's a corner, some teams might think he's a safety, but he's only going to play one," an NFL scout said, adding that how DeJean runs Monday will be a significant factor. "He's going to get drafted high enough that you draft him for that position."

The first-round projections for DeJean -- Kiper has him at No. 21 on his latest Big Board -- are as a cornerback, where he would be an NFL rarity. The league has had a few white cornerbacks over the years, but none as a consistent starter since Jason Sehorn, who started 73 games for the Giants from 1996 to 2002.

During a media session at the combine, DeJean faced questions about being a white cornerback, just like his friend and Iowa teammate, Riley Moss, did the year before. Moss memorably responded, "Obviously, I look different. I don't play different."

"I believe I can play corner," DeJean said. "I have the size and speed to do so. But with my athleticism, I understand the talk of moving to safety, playing the nickel, moving me around the defense. At the end of the day, you put me out on the field, I'm going to find the ball and try to make plays and impact the defense in some way."

DeJean is surprised to learn that he would become the first defensive back selected in the first round under Ferentz. He's flattered by the comparisons to Kinnick, who he called "a damn good player" and whose name he said is synonymous with Iowa football.

When it comes to legacy, though, DeJean's thoughts go back to Odebolt, where he takes pictures and signs autographs every time he visits, and where he plans to watch the draft with family and friends.

"I've been blessed to be in this position, growing up in a small town," he said. "My biggest thing is just being an inspiration to the kids around my area, to show them if you put everything into what you want to do, down the road, you can achieve big dreams."

• Mock Drafts

Scouting Reports

• 2024 Prospects

2023 NFL Draft Cornerback Prospect Rankings and Scouting Reports

• Author: The NFL Draft Bible

Get ready for the 2023 NFL Draft with positional and big board rankings from the team at The NFL Draft Bible. In-depth prospect rankings with linked reports and all updated player information.

Click on the "DRAFT PROFILE" link to view the scouting report of your favorite 2023 NFL Draft prospect. You can also toggle between positions to view updated rankings.

Big Board | QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | OG | OC | DT | EDGE | LB | CB | S

CLICK BELOW FOR MORE NFL DRAFT CONTENT

2023 nfl draft big board & position rankings, 2022 nfl draft big board & position rankings, 2022 nfl draft selections, 2022 nfl draft udfa tracker, nfl mock drafts, latest news.

Steelers Trade QB Kenny Pickett to Eagles, Swap Draft Picks

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Updated 1st-Round Projections After Vikings, Texans Trade

2024 NFL Draft: Updated 1st-Round Order After Vikings, Texans Trade

Vikings, Texans Agree to Blockbuster NFL Draft Trade

Chargers Trade WR Keenan Allen to Bears for 4th-Round Draft Pick

Advertisement

Will rams snap nfl's longest active streak of drafting offense first, share this article.

Before Sean McVay arrived in 2017, the Los Angeles Rams fielded an anemic offense for years. From 2007 to 2016, they never ranked higher than 21st in points scored and finished last in the NFL in scoring three times.

It’s hardly surprising that he and the Rams have sunk a lot of resources into the offense over the last seven years, being an offensive-minded coach, but this year’s draft class could be more about helping the defense.

Just about every mock draft has the Rams targeting a defensive player in the first round, whether it’s an edge rusher, a cornerback or a defensive tackle to help fill the void left by Aaron Donald. If the Rams do draft a defensive player with their first pick, it’ll snap a four-year streak of Los Angeles taking an offensive player first – tied for the longest active streak in the NFL with the Steelers and Chargers.

Longest active NFL streaks putting a team's top draft pick on the same side of the ball? Offense: Chargers, Steelers, Rams (4), Falcons 3 Defense: Bucs, Packers, Chiefs (3) — Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 9, 2024

Here’s a look at each of the Rams’ top draft picks under McVay.

• 2023 : OL Steve Avila (36th)
• 2022 : OL Logan Bruss (104th)
• 2021 : WR Tutu Atwell (57th)
• 2020 : RB Cam Akers (52nd)
• 2019 : S Taylor Rapp (61st)
• 2018 : OL Joe Noteboom (89th)
• 2017 : TE Gerald Everett (44th)

Going all the way back to 2013, Rapp is still the only defensive player drafted first by the Rams, so it’s been a heavily skewed toward the offense for the last 11 years. That just goes to show it hasn’t been completely because of McVay.

Les Snead, of course, has been the Rams’ GM since 2012, and he’s the primary decision-maker when it comes to draft picks – in conjunction with his head coach.

All signs point toward the Rams taking a defensive player first this year, given their needs on that side of the ball. However, no one should be surprised if they select a wide receiver in Round 1, or potentially an offensive tackle to be the long-term solution behind either Alaric Jackson or Rob Havenstein.

Want the latest news and insights on your favorite team?

Sign up for our newsletter to get updates to your inbox, and also receive offers from us, our affiliates and partners. By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy

An error has occured

Please re-enter your email address.

Thanks for signing up!

You'll now receive the top Rams Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

Most Popular

Rams mock draft roundup: experts all-in on defense for la in round 1, these 10 qbs have better odds to win mvp than matthew stafford, 2024 nfl mock draft: rams trade down twice, add olb chop robinson and 4 extra picks, report: rams 'wanted sam howell badly' but got outbid by seahawks, will rams snap nfl's longest active streak of drafting offense first, could ufl's jake bates be the rams' solution at kicker, aaron donald unsure how he'll feel when football season rolls around.

Please enter an email address.

Thanks for signing up.

Please check your email for a confirmation.

Something went wrong.

• Team Salary Caps
• Positional Spending
• Salary Rankings
• Free Agents
• » Market Values
• » Fines/Suspensions
• » IR Tracker
• » Depth Charts Tracker
• » Draft Tracker
• » Options
• » College Tracker
• Best Values

Transactions

• Team Cap Tracker
• Positional Payrolls
• » Depth Charts
• » Awards Tracker
• » Recent Transactions
• » Extensions
• » Trades
• Team Payrolls
• Luxury Tax Tracker
• » Injured List Tracker
• » Options Tracker
• » Trade Tracker
• » Arbitration Tracker
• » College/Junior Team Tracker
• » Country Tracker
• » Average Salary
• » Weekly Wage
• » Contract Value
• » Transfer Feer
• » Team Caps
• Federation Players
• Team/Drivers
• Manufacturers

Follow Spotrac

Cookie settings, your privacy.

When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

Necessary Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

Traffic & Performance

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

Marketing & Advertising

These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Also, by disabling these cookies you will also disable banner ads served by Google Adsense on this website..

Privacy Policy

For more information about these items, view our complete privacy policy. Read More

NFL Draft Tracker

Nfl 2024 draft tracker.

Round by round results of the 2024 NFL Draft , including rookie contract details.

Trending Players

• view 1 Logan Ryan (CB, SF)
• view 2 Darren Waller (TE, NYG)
• view 3 Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB, KC)
• view 4 Justin Jefferson (WR, MIN)
• view 5 Stefon Diggs (WR, HOU)

Trending Pages

• view 1 NFL Transactions
• view 2 NFL Cap Tracker
• view 3 2024 NFL Free Agents
• view 4 NFL Homepage
• view 5 Kansas City Chiefs Cap Table

• Mock Draft Database Sites

Top Players Not Included These players appear in the top 100 of our Consensus Big Board , but do not show up on this big board.

Tweet the big board from drafttek.

Where mock drafts have former Auburn football players going as 2024 NFL Draft approaches

AUBURN — The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin April 25, and Auburn football will surely be represented. Just how represented remains to be seen.

The Tigers have more than a dozen former players who are eligible to get drafted this cycle, but not every one of them will see their names flash across their respective television screens. Some will sign undrafted free agent contracts with NFL teams, while others may try and make other professional leagues.

Here's a breakdown of where the latest mock drafts have a handful of former players getting picked:

CB Nehemiah Pritchett

A three-year starter who played all five of his collegiate seasons at Auburn, cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett went the highest of any player in the mock drafts evaluated by the Montgomery Advertiser. Pritchett finished his Tigers career with 115 tackles, 29 pass deflections and three interceptions.

• Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball : Third round to the Chicago Bears (No. 75 overall)
• Chad Reuter of NFL.com : Third round to the Los Angeles Raiders (No. 77 overall)
• DraftTek staff : Fourth round to the Buffalo Bills (No. 133 overall)
• Matt Miller of ESPN : Fifth round to the Minnesota Vikings (No. 167 overall)

SPRING: Auburn football's 5 biggest A-Day winners — yes, of course Cam Coleman is included

FIVE STARS: Cam Coleman shined at A-Day for Auburn football — he should still be in high school

CB DJ James

Another cornerback who spent five years in college, DJ James finished the 2023 campaign with a coverage grade of 88.9 from Pro Football Focus . That mark ranked No. 1 at Auburn last season, No. 7 in the SEC and No. 34 nationally.

• Tankathon staff : Third round to the Washington Commanders (No. 78 overall)
• Matt Miller of ESPN : Third round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 89 overall)
• DraftTek staff : Fourth round to the Denver Broncos (No. 121 overall)
• Chad Reuter of NFL.com : Fifth round to the Atlanta Falcons (No. 143 overall)

S Jaylin Simpson

There may not have been a more impactful defensive player on Auburn's roster last season than safety Jaylin Simpson, especially through the first half of the schedule. Simpson tallied five interceptions and recovered a fumble through the first five weeks of the season.

• Chad Reuter of NFL.com : Fifth round to the Carolina Panthers (No. 148 overall)
• DraftTek staff : Fifth round to the Washington Commanders (No. 152 overall)
• Matt Miller of ESPN : Sixth round to the Miami Dolphins (No. 184 overall)

DL Marcus Harris

Perhaps one of the more underrated players on Auburn's team from a season ago, Marcus Harris notched career-high numbers across the board in tackles (40), tackles for loss (11) and sacks (seven). His overall defensive grade from PFF of 82.4 was No. 1 in the conference and No. 19 in the country.

• Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball : Fifth round to the New Orleans Saints (No. 170 overall)
• Matt Miller of ESPN : Sixth round to the Denver Broncos (No. 207 overall)
• DraftTek staff : Seventh round to the Detroit Lions (No. 249 overall)

DL Justin Rogers

Justin Rogers was rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 52 overall player in the Class of 2020. He began his career at Kentucky, where he played three seasons before transferring to Auburn for his final year. Rogers collected 17 tackles and a sack with the Tigers.

• Matt Miller of ESPN : Sixth round to the Dallas Cowboys (No. 216 overall)
• DraftTek staff : Seventh round to the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 236 overall)

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.