It’s hard to gauge how mid-to-late round NFL Draft picks are going to do at the next level. That’s why Super Bowl teams are built in this manner.
You might have noticed that those who come away with the Lombardi have a higher success rate on Day 3 than bottom feeders. This really is the bread and butter of the draft. It’s in this that we look at the 20 best and worst picks from the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Related: 2024 NFL Draft tracker with grades
Best: Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos (102nd pick)
Denver traded up to the second pick in Saturday’s NFL Draft to find first-round selection Bo Nix his favorite target from the Oregon Ducks. We can question the Nix selection all we want. But adding Franklin to a questionable wide receiver room is absolutely a win. The 6-foot-2 wide receiver caught 81 passes for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior last season.
Worst: Sione Vaki, RB, Detroit Lions (132nd pick)
Taking ESPN’s 247th-ranked player at 132 is a questionable decision to begin with. It now looks like Detroit plans on moving Vaki to running back. Sure, he has a ton of athleticism (4.62 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine). But wouldn’t a traditional running back who was graded higher be a better pick here?
Best: Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (152nd pick)
A dual-threat running back for Baker Mayfield. Irving ran for north of 1,000 yards both seasons with the Oregon Ducks. He also led all of college football in receptions a season ago. We’re talking about a potentially elite third-down back and someone who can take the top off the defense. What a great pick from Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht here.
Worst: Jacob Crowing, WR, San Francisco 49ers (201st pick)
The 49ers have made some good picks during the 2024 NFL Draft. They have also made some head-scratchers. This is in the latter category. They selected wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the first round. They did not trade either Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk. So, why add yet another receiver when there are other needs? To make matters worse, Crowing is limited to the slot. San Francisco already has a stud in Jauan Jennings manning that spot.
Related: San Francisco 49ers draft tracker
Best: Cedric Gray, LB, Tennessee Titans (106th pick)
The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Gray was considered a potential second-round pick after showing out at the Senior Bowl. He was super-productive at North Carolina, recording 368 tackles, five interceptions and 29 tackles for loss in his final three seasons. Instincts and speed are two things that come to mind. The mid rounds of the NFL Draft are where teams can find value at linebacker. Tennessee did just that here.
Worst: Layden Robinson, OL, New England Patriots (103rd pick)
Teams have their own big boards. We fully understand that. But most experts had Robinson as a late sixth-round pick. He was a three-year starter at Texas A&M, but lacks the necessary pass-blocking skillset to be considered a legitimate starter at the next level. Per ESPN, there were seven higher-graded guards available when New England made this pick.
Best: Spencer Rattler, QB, New Orleans Saints (150th pick)
A little-known high school reality show. That could be the reason Rattler actually fell to New Orleans with the 150th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Absolutely insane stuff. After six quarterbacks went within the top-12 picks, most figured Rattler would find himself as a second-rounder. That did not happen. Instead, the Saints nab a talented signal caller who could very well act as an heir-apparent to Derek Carr. What a steal.
Worst: Erick All, TE, Cincinnati Bengals (115th pick)
We fully understand that the Bengals are attempting to get Joe Burrow more weapons. That’s especially true with the questionable situation surrounding wide receiver Tee Higgins. But reaching for a tight end that had no real production in college and is coming off a torn ACL made no sense. All caught 75 passes for 864 yards and five touchdowns in 40 career games with the Hawkeyes. A more-productive Cade Stover would’ve been a much better pick here.
Best: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Philadelphia Eagles (155th pick)
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman just continues to kill it in the 2024 NFL Draft. This was not simply a legacy pick with Trotter’s father starring for Philadelphia for eight seasons. The younger Trotter brings a lot to the game. He is more of your downhill, in-the-box linebacker. But the dude has the capability to match up in coverage. This means he can be a three-down backer at the next level.
Worst: Keilan Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (167th pick)
We understand that the end of the fifth round in the NFL Draft is pretty much a crapshoot. But it is also an area that you can find gems at the running back position. This is why it’s so surprising Jacksonville selected a prospect that most outlets had an undrafted grade on. Robinson will likely be used more as a returner in the pros after putting up all of 796 rushing yards throughout his college career with Alabama and Texas.
Best: Jaylan Ford, LB, New Orleans Saints (175th pick)
After nabbing cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry on Friday, the Saints go with more need and value in Round 5. Jaylan Ford is an absolutely awesome pick here. He has great coverage ability, can read the quarterback’s eyes and poses a threat to pick it off at any time. He’s a three-down back and a potential Day 1 starter.
Worst: Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Las Vegas Raiders (148th pick)
The traits that Eichenberg flashed in college (leadership, solid tackling in the run game) are just fine and dandy. But the former Ohio State captain is going to be limited to special teams duties and will only be a two-down backer the next level. He struggles too much in coverage and has issues tackling in space. This was a reach from the Raiders in Round 5 of the NFL Draft.
Best: Christian Jones, OT, Arizona Cardinals (162nd pick)
Arizona is doing what it can to build up depth on the offensive line in front of Kyler Murray in the 2024 NFL Draft. This might be the best pick of the lot. Jones started 48 games at both tackle spots during his time with the Longhorns. He was projected to be a third-round pick by most outlets. Great move in the mid-to-late rounds.
Worst: Tyrice Knight, LB, Seattle Seahawks (198th pick)
Knight’s stats this past season at UTEP were great (140 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks). The question here is what position he’s going to play in the pros. He’ll have to gain bulk to be a pure EDGE rusher in Seattle. He’ll also have to figure out major issues as it relates to coverage and tackling in space if he’s going to be an off-ball linebacker. Interesting pick from GM John Schneider. But it seemed to be a reach.
Best: Theo Johnson, TE, New York Giants (107th pick)
The Giants have absolutely no idea what tight end Darren Waller is going to do. He’s considering retirement and has not let them know what his plans are. Adding the 6-foot-6 Johnson to the mix was a boon on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. While his production was not great at Penn State, the talent is more than there. We’re talking about a dude who ran a 4.57 40-yard dash at the combine and can beat linebackers due to his pure speed. That was magnified by his 16.7 yards-per-catch average last season for the Nittany Lions.
Worst: Will Shipley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (169th pick)
Who are we to criticize Eagles general manager Howie Roseman? Well, we’re doing that right here. This seemed to be a big time reach for a player who has a ton of name recognition. Shipley put up 3,350 total yards and 33 touchdowns in three seasons with Clemson. His game just does not translate too well to the NFL due to a lack of elite-level athleticism. Better running backs were on the board at this point in the NFL Draft.
Best: Johnny Wilson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (185th pick)
Is Johnny Wilson going to be a project at the next level? Yes. Does he drop too many passes and have issues separating? Yes. But he’s an ideal pick for a team like the Eagles. The 6-foot-6, 231-pound pass catcher shows tremendous strength, is a mismatch waiting to happen in the red zone and can be a vertical threat. Don’t be surprised if Philadelphia moves him to tight end.
Worst: Jordan Travis, QB, New York Jets (171st pick)
This is a feel-good story. How can you not be happy for Travis? The young man was well on his way to earning the Heisman last season for Florida State before suffering a devastating leg injury. This is not about Travis as much as it is about New York going for the good story rather than the best pick. Tulane’s Michael Pratt should have been the pick here. He was getting some Day 2 play leading up to the NFL Draft.
Best: Cam Hart, CB, Los Angeles Chargers (140th pick)
Jim Harbaugh had to hate taking a player from the rival Irish. But this was an absolutely solid selection for the new Chargers head coach. First off, Los Angeles needs some young talent at the cornerback position. Secondly, Hart fits what defensive coordinator Jesse Minter likes to do on defense. He’s 6-foot-3 and has great physicality. Hart also has the ability to track receivers on the outside. He could be one of the steals of the NFL Draft.
Related: Los Angeles Chargers NFL Draft guide
Worst: Tory Taylor, P, Chicago Bears (122nd pick)
Tory Taylor will be a weapon for the Bears. He has an absolute leg on him. We’re just not fans of punters going before the sixth or seventh rounds. That’s especially true when you’re a Bears team attempting to expedite a rebuild.
