What happened in the leadup to the 2024 NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH — So let’s get this straight: The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t concerned with the center position, are excited about their wide receivers group and are hopeful about their depth at cornerback.

Oh, let’s hope that’s not the case.

The Steelers’ top decision-makers — coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan — spent 30 minutes inside the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Monday ahead of this week’s NFL Draft painting a picture that everything on their roster is swell and dandy before they go on the clock with the 20th pick in Thursday’s first round.

This despite the obvious shortcomings that even the casual fan can glean from a once-over of the roster.

“We’ve addressed a lot of needs, and you don’t feel overly thirsty in any particular area,” Tomlin said.

That can mean one of two things: They have overestimated their current roster, or they are throwing up one huge smokescreen days before the NFL draft.

I tend to think Tomlin and Khan are way too intelligent to look at their offseason additions — Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Patrick Queen, Donte Jackson, DeShon Elliott and a pair of receivers (Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins) — and conclude that adding players via the draft will be nothing but a luxury.

If they aren’t thirsty, they better do something about it.

There are two glaring holes on the roster — center and receiver — and right tackle jumps off the board as a potential first-round pick. The center and receiver markets have pretty much dried up in free agency, and both could become major issues if not addressed in the draft.

Hell, they might be major issues even if they are addressed in the draft. Yet that’s not how either Tomlin or Khan presented it Monday.

It is misinformation season, but the Steelers have historically stayed away from that routine.

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Andru Phillips loves football. Probably more than anyone he knows. His parents, both high-level athletes themselves, didn’t want him to play growing up. He did anyway and has been obsessed with the sport since first changing their minds at age 5.

The NFL Draft evaluation cycle forces players to go through intense fact-finding trials, featuring questions that range from the mundane to the absurd, all so teams can try to discover whether a guy is telling the truth when he says he cannot live without football. In Phillips’ case, that love of the game is genuine.

But so are a lot of other things.

On the field, Phillips — a versatile, explosive cornerback from Kentucky who ranks No. 69 on Dane Brugler’s latest top 100 NFL Draft board — is a physical defensive back capable of wearing multiple hats in multiple schemes. He’s smart enough to understand zone responsibilities throughout the secondary, fast and explosive enough to press in man and disciplined enough to fit the run without fear. As a player, his versatility is his best trait.

It also happens to be one of his best traits as a person. He’s decidedly more than “just” a football player.

Players used to be nervous talking about stuff like this. In the old days, if a draft prospect spoke about his love of music or acting (or gardening …) in an interview, he could bet his last dollar a pro team would ask privately and seriously if he was truly committed to the game. In some circles, that type of thinking still exists. Not nearly as many, though. And Phillips hopes to help erase those that remain.

“Football can mess with you,” Phillips says. “And it’s not talked about enough. Especially men, we don’t talk about our feelings. We don’t want to open up.

“But, really, it’s so important. It’s such a key part of everyone’s development.”

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The Athletic's Robert Mays, Nate Tice and Dane Brugler bring you an extensive look at the top quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class. They dive into the film of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy. Plus, they also talk about Michael Penix, Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler and where they could land.

I couldn’t help but make this pick. I’ve made it before, more than a month ago. My reasoning hasn’t changed. The Eagles fielded the NFL’s second-worst passing defense in 2023. If they don’t make a significant offseason investment at cornerback, they likely 1) believe James Bradberry will bounce back after regressing last season, 2) have faith in unproven youngsters like Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks and Isaiah Rodgers, and 3) have confidence that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s system is better equipped to minimize explosive pass plays.

That’s too many unpredictable variables for me. Why not instead shore up the position with a premier player who seems to fit the “dog mentality” the Eagles say they’re looking for in a defender? DeJean is “one of the best tackling defensive backs in the class and shows playmaking skills in coverage,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in “The Beast.” DeJean, who returned a punt for a touchdown in 2023, also has a knack for creating turnovers in a way the Eagles lacked last season. He totaled seven interceptions and three defensive touchdowns at Iowa.

But I should add that I tried not to make this pick. The Eagles firmly believe the foundation of their team is their offensive and defensive lines, and there’s still no certainty who they’ll play at right guard. Cam Jurgens will play center (among other blatant signs, the Eagles moved Jurgens into Kelce’s old locker). The organization must also consider a succession plan for All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson, who’s entering his age-34 season and is under contract through 2026.

That makes this draft cycle’s overabundance of offensive tackles particularly alluring. Brugler mocked Georgia’s Amarius Mims to the Eagles at No. 22. But I find myself disagreeing with the notion that there’s more value in letting an inexperienced albeit freakishly gifted athlete (who’s never played guard) make use of the organization’s developmental philosophy behind Johnson, when the same philosophy can be applied to DeJean. He could contribute immediately while benefitting from the mentorship of six-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay, who remains under contract through 2025.

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I had planned on leading The Athletic’s annual NFL Draft confidential with the quarterback intel I’ve gathered; after all, this is the exact kind of quarterback crop that makes the draft so fascinating: star power, intrigue and a half-dozen potential first-rounders. But after speaking to more than a dozen NFL coaches and scouts over the past month, I needed to audible. That’s what I realized after several interesting conversations about the receivers.

I came away from the NFL Scouting Combine thinking that the two closest players to sure things were Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze. In Harrison, you have the son of an NFL receiving great and the most complete of what has been a remarkable run of Buckeye star wideouts over the past decade — many of whom have shined in the NFL. I’d assumed he would be the No. 1 guy on everyone’s wide receivers board.

But apparently, that is not the case. At all.

Marvin Harrison, Rome Odunze … and Malik Nabers above them both

“(Harrison’s) not No. 1 to me,” said a veteran NFL receivers coach, whose team is in the market for another top receiver, and whom we’ll ID as WR Coach 1. “(LSU’s Malik) Nabers is the No. 1 on my list and I think he is on a lot of people’s lists. He’s just different to me. I don’t think it’s anything toward Marvin, it’s just really that Nabers is that good. His skills with the ball in his hands are really different. His acceleration is just different. His explosive is different. He tracks the ball really well. He’s a smaller guy but he can still play outside. He’s rare in a lot of ways. He’s got some Ja’Marr Chase in him, some DJ Moore skills. I hesitate to say this because Tyreek Hill’s speed is just so different from anybody in the league, but Nabers has some of that kind of burst and just so explosive off the line of scrimmage.

“He’s as fast as the person chasing him. He’s gonna run away from whoever. If Deion was chasing him, he’d go 4.21 or whatever. He’s the best WR prospect since Chase and on tape, I think he’s even more impressive. This dude is different.”

Another long-time NFL assistant, who has coached receivers and been an NFL offensive coordinator, agreed that Nabers was the top receiver prospect.

“It’s Nabers and then there’s a gap,” said Offensive Assistant 1. “He is the best wide receiver in the draft in a couple of years, maybe more. He is Tyreek Hill combined with both of those San Francisco guys (Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk). He is so explosive. He has a second gear. He can stop on a dime. He breaks tackles. You can’t jam him because he’s just too quick and if you miss at all, he’s gonna outrun you. He’s really competitive but he can be a pain in the ass. He’ll be the guy who’ll have something to say to the coordinator coming off the field. He’s got that edge to him where he doesn’t know when to let up. He doesn’t know that those guys are on his side.”

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Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze and USC quarterback Caleb Williams — both expected to go quickly in the first round — have some fun on their flight to the NFL Draft.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye said he enjoyed the Washington Commanders’ unique approach to hosting NFL Draft prospects, which involved taking a large group — including Maye and a few of his quarterback peers — to Topgolf.

“It was one of the cooler visits I’ve been on,” Maye told the “This Is Football” podcast. “(We went to) a steak dinner spot and you’re surrounded with the head coach, GM and quarterback coaches. The Commanders took the approach of all of us being together and seeing how we interacted. I got the chance to swing the golf club a little bit.

“I enjoyed it. … I got to meet a lot of different guys throughout the process.”

Maye was among a group that included Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. Around 20 prospects were invited to the pre-draft event.

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SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA — Prospect X tightens his grip on his fork. His hand swallows up the frail utensil. He takes a deep breath and sighs it out, shaking his head back and forth to reset.

“Come on!” he shouts as he wills himself to take another giant bite.

The meat lover’s skillet normally comes with two eggs, but X ordered his with four extra. He’s a regular here at this small-town diner, and the waitress jokes he cleans out their fridge “ordering 25 eggs” each time he comes by.

The skillet is the second of three plates of food he absolutely has to put away for lunch. X has already polished off a massive two-patty burger topped with bleu cheese, bacon and another egg. He hit a wall halfway through the six-egg skillet with bacon, ham and sausage. He’s still got a Nutella and banana crepe taunting him on plate No. 3.

X’s tattooed biceps bulge out of a navy blue short-sleeve shirt baring the logo of an NFL team he recently visited. He’s always been a big eater — when he was out to eat with his parents around 8 or 9 years old, he cried at the prospect of ordering off the kid’s menu. “Two chicken fingers?” he says. “What’s that going to do for you?” — but he’s gained nearly 30 pounds this offseason in his quest to get ready for the league.

This kind of extreme eating is tough work. He’s up to 306 pounds, and while he’s training his body to hold that new weight, he has to keep eating. “My mom would be like, ‘Get a to-go box!'” he says. But giving up is not an option. “I know what my goal is, and 300-plus looks way prettier than 290.”

Sitting next to him in the diner booth is his roommate and best friend, his college team’s Australian punter. X offers him a bite of his skillet, and he takes a small forkful. “That was a little-ass bite, bro,” X says.

He fights through the rest of the skillet, sips water, stretches and cheers himself on again. The sweet crepe goes down relatively easily, and he takes a picture of his three spotless plates to send to some of the other prospects he’d trained with this winter — they couldn’t believe how much he’d eat.

He gets tired of eating like this, but this is what it takes when you’re a small-school prospect in a run-down town and the draft is just a week away.

I spent the last two months searching for the most overlooked prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. After canvassing scouts, tracking the results of pro day workouts, watching tape and strategizing like a general manager, I picked a player I believe is the draft’s best-kept secret: a small school prospect with no combine invite and no top-three all-star game appearance but a good shot to get drafted.

For each of the past five years, readers of this series have made their best guesses as to X’s identity, which will be revealed in a follow-up story after the draft. But for now — to allow him to be honest about the pre-draft process and for the sake of the NFL teams in pursuit — he is “Prospect X.”

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The Baltimore Ravens have nine picks in Thursday's draft, including the 30th pick of the first round.

Here are their needs:

Offensive lineman: The cupboard is not bare as the Ravens could potentially have either Daniel Faalele or Patrick Mekari step in at right tackle, and they have several starting guard candidates, including Josh Jones, Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. However, it feels significant, particularly for an organization that constantly talks about the importance of building a big and physical offensive line, that Baltimore currently has three vacancies up front.

Edge rusher: Baltimore’s most established edge rusher is Odafe Oweh, a 2021 first-round pick who is a work-in-progress and has 13 sacks in three seasons. With the departure of Clowney, the release of Tyus Bowser and uncertainty about the return of veteran Kyle Van Noy, what the Ravens need is an established double-digit sack guy. But they’ll have their eyes on adding more young talent at outside linebacker, too.

Cornerback: Marlon Humphrey is coming off a disappointing injury-marred season, Brandon Stephens is entering a contract year and a few of Baltimore’s younger corners have yet to establish themselves. The Ravens believe in adding cornerbacks every year, but it’s a necessity rather than a luxury this offseason.

Wide receiver: Ravens decision-makers have talked about the continued development of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman and the return of veteran Nelson Agholor. Yet, the depth chart is quite thin after them. Given the strength of this year’s receiver class, it’s hard to believe the Ravens would miss an opportunity to add to this group.

Safety: The Ravens love their starting duo of Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton, but they don’t have an obvious No. 3 safety on the roster. That must be addressed, as Williams has struggled to remain healthy over the past two years.

The Athletic's Robert Mays and Nate Tice continue their mock draft scenarios series by going from pick 25 to pick 19 and discussing the biggest team needs for each team, And, of course, the best fits.

It’s the 10-year anniversary.

The Las Vegas Raiders’ poor track record of making good picks early in the draft has become an annual talking point. The last draft class where they truly cashed in on their early-round selections came in 2014 when they took edge rusher Khalil Mack, quarterback Derek Carr and guard Gabe Jackson with their first three picks.

A decade later, the pressure is on for general manager Tom Telesco to end the proverbial drought. The hiring of head coach Antonio Pierce sent a wave of optimism through team headquarters and the fan base alike, but the on-the-field results will only continue to fall short unless the Raiders start to have much better success in the draft.

Signing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was a major move and adding Gardner Minshew gave them an important safety net at quarterback, but the rest of the Raiders’ veteran additions so far this offseason have largely been complementary pieces. To take the step forward they want, the Raiders have to add some impact players through the draft.

The Raiders currently hold eight picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Their biggest positions of need are quarterback, guard, offensive tackle and cornerback. Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur teamed up to put together their final seven-round Raiders mock draft ahead of the start of the draft on Thursday. Here’s a breakdown of each pick they made.

Round 1, Pick 13: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Reed: Mitchell is a 6-foot, 195-pound ball-hawking cornerback with good speed, athleticism and awareness. He should be a Day 1 starter and would complete a starting cornerback unit featuring cornerback Jack Jones and nickelback Nate Hobbs.

Tafur: My guy Taliese Fuaga was gone in this mock and we didn’t like the value of quartertback Michael Penix Jr. at 13, so the only discussion was Mitchell or Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold. Mitchell is faster and Arnold is younger, though they both project as impact day-one starters. This is the Raiders, so we went with speed.

Continue reading for the rest of the mock draft.

The Cleveland Browns have spent big to assemble and retain a veteran roster. Later this week, the final two picks they gave the Houston Texans in the 2022 Deshaun Watson trade will be used. Next year, the Browns will have a first-round pick for the first time since 2021.

For now, they have six picks in this draft — but just two in the top 150. They’re slated to start their draft at No. 54 in the second round before picking again at No. 85 in the third. There’s not one pressing need, and there’s probably not an immediate starting spot available for a rookie added this weekend. But things change quickly, and Cleveland’s pick count might change, too, if general manager Andrew Berry decides to trade down. He also hasn’t made a second-round pick since 2021.

Who might the Browns be targeting? Which names are obvious fits? Which ones might be a little less obvious? As the draft draws closer, here’s how I view a working list of potential Browns picks. The key here is working. It will be updated throughout the first two days of the draft.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s draft guru, has his rankings and full scouting reports in his monstrous NFL Draft guide, “The Beast.” What’s here is based on Brugler’s research, the Browns’ past draft preferences, their current perceived needs and conversations with talent evaluators throughout the pre-draft season. Cleveland is in position to draft for the future.

These are best guesses. The Browns themselves aren’t going to know which direction their draft will head until Friday night. Will Berry trade down and look to add more picks? Is there a big surprise in store? Let’s get to the names.

The 49ers have first-round grades on 22 prospects this year, which is slightly higher than average. He said this year’s draft class also includes 16 so-called “gold helmet” players, which is the highest character designation the 49ers give a prospect and is about average for a given year.

Gold helmet players have to be “exemplary” in a number of areas, including performance, leadership and intelligence. Some recent gold helmet players: tackle Colton McKivitz (fifth round, 2020), safety Talanoa Hufanga (fifth round, 2021), safety Ji’Ayir Brown (third round, 2023) and tight end Brayden Willis (seventh round, 2023).

“We like keeping that standard high,” general manager John Lynch said. “You always want to give out more because our hit rate with those guys is so high. But I think it’s, ‘Let’s stick to our standard,’ because there’s a reason our hit rate’s high.”

Lynch said he hasn’t gotten any phone calls from teams interested in moving back into the first round but he expects those to come later this week. A team that passes on a quarterback early in the round, for instance, might be interested in someone like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.

“I think (pick No.) 31 is an interesting spot,” he said. “I think at the end of Day 1 teams are eager to go get someone. So I imagine there will be some calls. … The big thing is to be open for every scenario.”

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Once a year, every year, the ground beneath the football world moves.

Welcome back to the NFL Draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft, live from Detroit, kicks off Thursday night with one of the best and deepest quarterback classes we’ve seen in years. But that’s not all. Not even close. This is a talent-rich draft at a number of positions, and trade rumors have been rampant for months. Will we see four quarterbacks selected in the first four picks? Who’s going No. 1? Which teams are going to trade? Who’s going to stand pat?

Let’s get you caught up.