With the 2023 NFL season officially upon us, it is a great time to look into my favorite prospects that will be in the 2024 NFL Draft. This will not be a mock draft, but just getting you familiar with some of the top prospects (or just some personal favorites) that we will hear throughout the 2023 season.
QB: Caleb Williams USC
The current Trojan and form Oklahoma Sooner quarterback is projected to go first overall in 2024 and could be one of the best quarterback prospects we have seen in a long time. In his first full season as a starter, Williams had 4,537 yards along with 42 touchdowns and five interceptions on a 66.6 completion percentage. It would shock everyone if either North Carolina’s Drake Maye or Texas’ Quinn Ewers came off the board before Williams. I currently have Williams tagged with a top-five grade.
NFL player comp: Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
RB: Braelon Allen Wisconsin
The 19-year-old tailback is heading into his junior year in Madison with big aspirations. Standing at 6’2” 235 the Badgers running back is building a case to be a first-round pick but will have to outperform fellow running backs including Ohio State’s Treveyon Henderson, Michigan’s Blake Corum, and Arkansas’ Raheim “rocket” Sanders. In 2022, Allen amassed 1,242 yards and 11 touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry while having over 230 rushing attempts. With the addition of new head coach Luke Fickell, it will be interesting to see what Allen’s workload looks like in 2023 with the Badgers. Allen currently has a late first to early second-round grade from me.
NFL player comp: Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry.
WR: Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State.
Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline has done a pretty good job when it comes to developing the Buckeye wide receivers as he has produced four first-round picks including New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave, Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Being the son of former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison he had some big shoes to fill, but he has done a great job so far. In his first year as the Buckeye's true number-one target, he came down with 1,263 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns along with 77 receptions. I currently have a top-five grade for Harrison.
NFL player comp: Free agent WR Julio Jones.
TE: Brock Bowers Georgia
Another year and yet again another Georgia Bulldog expected to be in the top 10 of the draft. At the moment that this is written, Bowers is slated to be the first tight end of the board. In 2022, Bowers had to split targets with Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington, but Bowers was still able to bring in 942 yards and seven touchdowns on only 63 receptions. It will be interesting to see how high Bowers goes next year as I currently have a top 10 grade on Bowers.
NFL player comp: Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts.
OT: Joe Alt Notre Dame
The tight end turned offensive tackle has jumped up the boards since last season, and could see himself drafted early on day one of the 2024 NFL Draft. Standing at 6’7” and 317 pounds, Alt would be an anchor at left tackle for any team in the NFL. In 2022, Alt allowed only three sacks, seven hurries, and one QB hit. Much like some of these other guys, I have a top 10 grade on Alt, but he is behind Penn State’s Olu Fashanu in my offensive tackle rankings.
NFL player comp: New England Patriots OT Trent Brown.
IOL: Sedrick Van Pran Georgia
Georgia has seemingly ran the draft over the past few years and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Van Pran was eligible for the 2023 draft but decided to return to Georgia for the 2023 season. Van Pran likely would have been a late day two pick in the 2023 draft but could raise his stock to late day one or early day two. Van Pran currently has a mid-third-round grade from me.
NFL player comp: Chicago Bears IOL Cody Whitehair.
EDGE: Jared Verse Florida State
Unlike 2023, the EDGE class is deep in 2024. Verse was another guy who could have entered the 2023 draft and would have been an early first-round pick. Verse is one of four edge rushers who could go in the first-round much less the first 15 picks. In 2022, the Seminoles' pass rusher put up nine sacks along with 47 tackles. Verse will have to battle Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau, Alabama’s Dallas Turner, and UCLA’s Laiatu Late for the top EDGE spot in 2024. I currently have Verse graded as a mid-first-round pick.
NFL player comp: San Francisco 49ers EDGE Nick Bosa.
IDL: Maason Smith LSU
With a very top-heavy 2024 defensive tackle class, Maason Smith leads the way as my favorite at the position. Smith’s 6’6” and 315-pound frame allows him to play anywhere on the interior of the defensive line. In 2022, Smith tore his ACL in the season opener against Florida State, but that doesn't stop him from being viewed as one of the best defensive linemen in the nation. Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. will be Smith’s only competition to start the season although we will see others fly up the boards in the middle of the season.
NFL player comp: San Francisco 49ers DT Javon Hargrave.
LB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Clemson
In 2022, the son of former Eagles and Redskins linebacker Jeremiah Trotter recorded 55 tackles, 2 interceptions, 22 total pressures, 10 QB hurries, 6 QB hits, and 6 sacks during the season. Trotter would be a better fit as a Mike linebacker in a 4-3 system than playing up the middle in a 3-4. Trotter is extremely athletic which allows him to fill lanes a lot faster than most other linebackers. There are very few linebackers who can come close to the abilities that Trotter possesses so he will likely be the clear-cut number-one linebacker until the season ends.
NFL player comp: Former Philadelphia Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter Sr.
CB: Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama
Outside of having a cool name, Kool-Aid is among the best corners in all of college football. While McKinstry isn’t a ball-hawking corner, he makes up for it in pass breakups as he had 15 in 2022. The Crimson Tide defensive back really jumped on the scene in 2022 after having a lackluster true freshman season in 2021. In the NFL, McKinstry will line up as an outside corner rather than in the nickel.
NFL player comp: Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander.
S: Andrew Mukuba Clemson
Mukuba, who has been a main piece of a very good Clemson secondary over the last few years, had 53 tackles with one interception in 2022 but made sure his presence was known. Currently slated as a second-rounder, Mukuba has the ability to jump into the first and potentially be the first safety off the board. In the NFL, Mukuba will either play the nickel corner spot or lineup over the top as a safety.
NFL player comp: Denver Broncos S Justin Simmons.
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