We are a little over midway through the NFL season and some rookie are off to very promising starts. Some players like Jayden Daniels and Brock Bowers are having great rookie season and are already making a big impact week in and week out. Those two players were of course selected in the top half of the first round and they were expected to do big things – and they are. But the bottom half of the first round has had some big performers too like Brian Thomas Jr, Quinyon Mitchell, and Jared Verse to name a few. And in today’s video we will be grading picks 17-32 in reverse order which means we will be starting with the Panthers selection of wide receiver Xavier Legette, and finishing with the Vikings selection of pass rusher Dallas Turner. The video for picks 1-16 was released last week if you want to check it out after this video and we all know why we’re here so without further ado – let’s begin
32 – Xavier Legette was the Panthers first round pick and this was after the Panthers traded up from pick 33 to pick 32 with the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo traded back from pick 28 with the Chiefs and this is how they had pick 32. We often talk about setting quarterbacks up for success and how they need playmakers around them – and offensive lines for that matter too – but Xavier is not in a great situation for him to succeed by any means. In his rookie year he has passes thrown to him from Andy Dalton and Bryce Young. And when this selection was made – I was thrilled because I thought the Panthers were doing everything they could to help out Bryce Young – only for him to not play well and for him to eventually be benched. Legette has 284 receiving yards in 10 games played and while that’s not great by any means – he is most definitely being held back by the situation he’s in which makes this pick pretty tricky to grade. I would love for Carolina to simply feed him the rock and to give him 8 or 9 targets per game in what is clearly a lost season and I also like the flashes we’ve seen from Legette so far. I think he has the potential to be a really solid receiver for this team – but for now this grade is a B-.
31 – Ricky Pearsall was the 49ers first round pick and this is not a normal pick to grade by any means. Before the first game of the 2024 season – Ricky was shot and thankfully he is still with us and has made a full recovery because it could have been a lot worse. His NFL debut came in week 7 which was against the Kansas City Chiefs and he most recently caught his first career touchdown against the Buccaneers. With Brandon Aiyuk out for the year – I think there is a very big opportunity for Ricky to really contribute down the stretch of the season and to be one of Brock’s go to guys. But he’s only played in 3 games and for the purpose of this video – as you can imagine this grade is incomplete. But thankfully Ricky is still with us.
30 – Nate Wiggins was a prospect I liked a lot coming out of Clemson and I had him at number 26 my top 150 big board before the draft. The main reason I had him a little lower was due to injury concerns – but with tape alone – he was a top 20 player in this class. Nate has faired alright so far in coverage which is very promising for his future because I would argue corner – aside from quarterback of course – is the toughest position to transition to in all of football. I also really liked pick because Marlon Humphrey is in year 8 and won’t play forever, and I thought the Ravens drafted their future CB1. I also thought Nate would be able to play a considerable amount in his rookie year and he has. Nate has not snagged his first career interception yet – although it’s definitely coming and he’s been in position multiple times. I think he will be a really good cover corner in year 2 and year 3 – but he is a very light player and he misses his fair share of tackles. The grade now is not as high as Ravens probably would like, but I think he will grow into a really good player throughout the rest of his rookie year and into 2025. A B grade
29 – Tyler Guyton was the 8th offensive tackle off the board and he played like it through the first few games of his career. Tyler definitely had a few welcome to the NFL moments as his NFL debut came against the only and only Myles Garrett. He allowed a sack in each of the first 4 games of his career but hasn’t allowed a sack in over 115 pass blocking snaps. Unfortunately he missed the week 10 game against the Eagles – but there has been a bit of improvement over the past couple of games. I also would like to note that being asked to go from Right Tackle to Left Tackle certainly isn’t easy especially in your rookie year. It’s one thing to do it after playing a couple of NFL seasons once your body is used to the physicality of the league and the toll it takes on your body – but this was a tall ask before the season started. And given he was the 8th tackle off the board – I didn’t think this was setting your first round pick up for success by any means. Right Tackle Terrence Steele has struggled so far this year and there is a chance Dallas moves on from Steele this offseason, and they bring Guyton back to the right side. We’ll see how that plays out, but for now this is a C+ grade
28 – The Chiefs traded up for Texas receiver Xavier Worthy and this was a very noteworthy selection because Xavier ran the fastest 40 time in NFL history with a 4.21. And whenever a player like this is drafted – especially with who the Chiefs quarterback is – the expectations were never going to be fair to Xavier because of the big play capability. It was never going to be enough and people thought he would be a 1,000 yard 10 touchdown receiver from day one and that was always unfair to who Xavier Worthy was as a prospect. He only has 20 receptions on 43 targets in 2024 and I do think it’s fair to say aside from a game here or there – his overall body of work has been disappointing. He is only 21 years old and I’m not out on Xavier as a player nor do I think he’s going to be a draft bust – but the start to his rookie year is about what I expected. The thought of Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown in the same offense was always fun especially with Travis Kelce working underneath – but things changed quickly when it was revealed Marquise was out for the season. I think Worthy will improve with time and remember – Patrick Mahomes is only 29 years old so there is plenty of time for these guys to grow together. For now a C+ grade
27 – The Cardinals had 2 first round picks on the night with the first being Marvin Harrison Jr and the second being Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson. Unfortunately Darius sustained a calf injury and has not played a down of football to this point. However he is expected to return fairly soon per Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and for now this grade is incomplete.
26 – I was very surprised when Graham Barton fell to pick 26 and I thought Barton was one of the safer picks in the entire draft. Meaning – if somebody took him way higher than he probably should have been taken – I still think he would have a relatively high floor and be a multi year starter and plug a position so you don’t have to worry about it for the next several years. And there’s certainly been ups and downs for Graham Barton in his first 10 games – but I think there has been more good than bad. He has allowed a single sack on 371 pass blocking snaps and having a good center for any offense is invaluable. Center’s also have to be smart football players and if a team is taking a Center in the first round – generally they are taking them because they have a high floor and because they expect them to be a pro bowler at some point in their career. And while I don’t think Graham will be a pro bowler this year by any means – his ability to stay anchored and his ability to read and react up front makes me think he will only get better as time goes on. Pay attention to Baker’s interior protection the next time the Bucs play because it’s pretty good more often than not. An A- grade
25 – Jordan Morgan was the Packers first round pick and I was a little surprised when this pick was made because I thought Graham Barton was a better prospect than Morgan but the Packers opted to go with Morgan. However the one thing I will say positively about this pick is if there is any team that will mold an offensive lineman the correct way and get the absolute most out of them – it’s the Green Bay Packers. Morgan rotated in at right guard throughout the first half of the year and most recently made his first career start against the Lions in week 9 at Left Guard. He has only played 186 total snaps to this point so the sample size we have for Jordan is obviously a lot more limited than other offensive line prospects. I like what I’ve seen from him so far and I would prefer the incomplete grade because of the limited sample size, but I know people want grades for every pick and for now this is a B+
24 – Terrion Arnold was the 2nd corner off the board in a span of 3 picks and I liked this selection a lot when it was made. The Lions obviously needed corner help entering the draft, and they selected Terrion and Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw with their first two picks. The big thing that needed to be understood when this selection was made – was Terrion was going to get tested – and early as most rookie corners do. And given that he is a 21 year old corner – I’m not surprised to see him give up plays in coverage as almost every corner has a transition period. And while he has given up his fair share of plays – I think he embodies the mentality that Dan Campbell wants the team to have and I also think he’s a good representation of the city of Detroit. We’re gong to get knocked down 6 or 7 times – but we are going to stand up every single time. And I also think the Lions made this selection knowing he would have a full season of work under his belt by the time the playoffs rolled around as they push for their first Lombardi. This grade will absolutely improve with time, but for now it’s a B-
23 – Brian Thomas Jr was the Jags first round pick and Brian is currently tied with is former LSU teammate in Malik Nabers for leading the rookie class in receiving yard with 607. I loved Brian Thomas as a player in the pre draft process and I mocked him to the Jags several times leading up to the draft and I know Jags fans have been rightfully upset with GM Trent Baalke in the past – but I really think he did a great job in selecting Brian Thomas. Not just because they drafted him of course – but because they traded back with the Vikings from pick 17 – and acquired future draft capital while drafting the player they wanted al along. Thomas – and Nabers are currently tied for 11th in the NFL in receiving yards but Brian only has 56 targets on the year and is actually 36th in the NFL in targets. The Jags have had a very disappointing season, but Brian has been one of the few bright spots. I like him a lot and I think it’s only a matter of time until he is regularly in the top 10 discussions. He is a very very good player and I think he will be a consistent 1,000 yard receiver and i think that streak will start this year. An easy A+ grade
22 – Quinyon Mitchell was a corner prospect I loved out of Toledo and I was shocked he lasted to pick 22. I thought was a classic case of Howie Roseman waiting for the board to fall to him and have one of the best prospects in the draft fall right in his lap. I had Quinyon Mitchell as my 10th best player in the draft and he’s played really well so far. I know Eagles fans want him to win the rookie of the year award, and while I think he is a very good player – generally speaking – the defensive rookie of the year is more often than not based on sacks – unless it is a first team all pro season like Sauce Gardner had in 2022. But Eagles fans know that Quinyon has the respect of everyone he plays against because there’s times where it’s boring watching him on tape – because nobody throws the ball in his direction. He had a couple of tough plays early on – but the last several games have been quiet and I think he’s only going to gain more respect as the season goes on. We are 10 games into his career and I think the Eagles have a home run. I think there’s going to be several teams that wish they would have taken Quinyon in a couple of years – and hell there may be a couple already. This is an easy one. A+
21 – Chop Robinson was the Dolphins first round pick and I loved this landing spot for Chop because I thought this was a situation where he could maximize his potential as an NFL player. I didn’t expect Bradley Chubb to be back right away as he tore his ACL in late December of last year, but I was really looking forward to the trio of Chop, Bradley Chubb, and Jaelan Phillips. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the trio in Chop’s rookie year as Bradley still hasn’t came back from injury, and Jaelan had a season ending injury in week 4. Chop didn’t play much during the first few weeks of the year but has been getting better and better as the season goes on. He had a really good game against the Rams on Monday night in week 10 as he had 6 pressures and even had his 2nd career sack. At the moment Chop has 13 total tackles, and 5 quarterback hits along with the aforementioned 2 sacks and I think he is only going to get better as the season goes on. He is only 21 years old and like most Penn State players – he tested really well athletically during the pre draft process. And now – it’s just a matter of putting it all together. This should go up by seasons end, but right now it’s a B+
20 – Troy Fautanu was a pick I loved a lot for the Steelers when it was made as I thought he was a plug and play player for the next few years. Pittsburgh’s offensive line desperately needed an upgrade through the draft and they certainly got one with their second round pick Zach Frazier – but unfortunately Troy has only played in one career game so far. He dislocated his kneecap and he looked solid in the game against the Broncos but we’re not grading his entire rookie season on 55 snaps. I will say he looked promising, and I think he will be a good player for Pittsburgh, but this grade is incomplete
19 – Jared Verse was the 3rd edge rusher taken in a span of 5 picks as the Colts selected Laiatu Latu at pick 15, while the Vikings selected Dallas Turner at pick 17. I liked Verse a lot as a prospect and I thought Verse was a player who had a tremendously high floor and it’s due in large part to his playing style. Jared Verse has very heavy hands as a pass rusher and if an opposing offensive lineman can’t stop power – it’s going to be a long day. Verse has 44 pressures on the year which is 6th in the NFL and he has 5 games with 5 or more pressures. What I think is really impressive with Verse is he has 24 pressures in his last 4 games and he is learning on the fly and the sacks have been increasing with time. Jared reminds me a lot of Will Anderson from last year who only had 1 sack through his first 6 games – which is what Jared also had – but Verse quietly has 3.5 sacks in his last 3 games and I think he will be the defensive rookie of the year. He will probably finish the year with 70+ pressures and there is no doubt the Rams hit on this pick. We did a video a couple of weeks ago about teams who have already hit on their first round pick and I included Verse despite having 1 sack at the time – because I believe in him as a player and I think he will be a Ram for the next 4 or 5 years. He is a great player and this is another A+ grade
18 – Amarius Mims was a high risk high reward draft pick as he only played 803 total snaps during his time at Georgia. The potential with Amarius was clear as there are simply not a lot of human beings built like him. And like with Chop Robinson and a few other rookies – I really liked the landing spot for Amarius as he would get to learn behind both Orlando Brown and Trent Brown. And the main reason I liked this landing spot is because all of these guys are north of 6’7 340 – and there’s a big difference in those guys as offensive tackles – and a more normal sized player like Trent Williams who is around 6’5 315. Getting to learn from two other giants like Orlando and Trent – should only help Amarius in the long run. He’s a 22 year old rookie and there’s certainly been flashes where he plays well beyond his years. He hasn’t been perfect by any means, but I definitely think there is a lot to like with Mims as we transition to the second half of his rookie year. We all saw how many times Joe Burrow got hit early in his career, and I think Mims will more than do his part to ensure that doesn’t happen as Burrow enters his late 20’s. Like with a lot of young lineman that I have faith in – I think this grade will only improve with time. And for now this is a B+
17 – Dallas Turner was the Vikings second first round pick of the night as they selected quarterback JJ McCarthy with the 10th overall pick. Minnesota traded quite a bit of draft capital to go get Dallas Turner, and I think the trade will prove to be worth it in the long run. Right now for Vikings fans it’s not fun to go online and see how good Jared Verse is doing especially compared to the lack of snaps Dallas Turner has played in his rookie year – as he has only logged 122 total snaps so far – but he is a 21 year old rookie and generally speaking – 21 year old guys are not as good as 24 year old guys in the trenches and it takes time to physically develop. Dallas only has 66 pass rushing snaps logged at the time of this video and I think the plan was always to ease him into his rookie year and to not say “you have to be a 50 pressure per year guy from day one.” Turner was the SEC defensive player of the year during his final season at Alabama and I think he will be fine in the long run. If you wanted to go with an incomplete grade with this pick – I would be fine with that – but as of now this is a C+. I hope you enjoyed and if you did please like and subscribe as it helps the channel tremendously as well as check out the video on picks 1-16. Until next time please be safe and have a great day. Love you guys.
