Full NFL Draft 2024 Rounds 4-7 picks and analysis: Live updates as Jaylen Key is 'Mr. Irrelevant'

The Cleveland Browns selected Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson with the 206th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Watson: A three-year starter at Mississippi State, Watson was the Mike linebacker in former head coach Zach Arnett’s 3-3-5 base scheme. After finishing No. 2 in the SEC in tackles in 2022, he led the SEC with 137 tackles in 2023 and his 11.4 tackles per game ranked sixth-best in the FBS, earning him SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press.

With his first-step burst and tracking skills, “Bookie” Watson was a tackling machine in college, including a 21 -tackle performance vs. Southern Miss in 2023 (most by an SEC player in a game over the last five years). His versatility as a blitzer is a plus, although he can struggle opening up and making plays in coverage.

Overall, Watson’s average agility and erratic instincts lead to inconsistencies, but he has size, quick reaction speed and tackling skills to fill up the stat sheet. He will need to shine on special teams to lock up a backup role for an NFL defense.

The Houston Texans selected Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan with the 205th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Jordan: A two-year starter at Louisville, Jordan became the featured runner in head coach Jeff Brohm’s zone -based run scheme. Once the prize of Syracuse’s 2018 recruiting class, his career was slowed by injuries and a lack of touches. He began to show promise in 2022, though, and set career bests in 2023, including leading the ACC with 6.23 yards per carry (7.5 yards per carry through September and October before injuries slowed him in November).

Though he has both initial burst and long speed to create big plays, Jordan’s patience and decision-making to quickly read blocks are what allow him to hit doubles, triples and home runs (three plays of 70-plus yards in 2023 — two rushes, one reception). He will be limited as a blocker and still has work to do to prove himself as a pass-catching option in certain gadget packages.

Overall, Jordan is a lightweight runner with questionable durability to secure a meaningful role at the NFL level, but he has the start/stop quickness and natural run instincts to be a change-of-pace option in the right situation. He also brings value as a kick returner.

The Buffalo Bills selected UCF offensive tackle Tylan Grable with the 204th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Grable: A two-year starter at UCF, Grable lined up at left tackle in head coach Gus Malzahn’s up-tempo spread offense. A high school quarterback turned tight end and later offensive tackle in college (a similar path to that of Tytus Howard), he made the jump to the FBS with the Knights and showed steady growth, not allowing a sack in 2023.

Grable is a smooth athlete and natural bender who can mirror in space and uses his long arms to recover. However, he needs to play with better control and less lunging in pass protection and run blocking, and he must improve his hand placement for heavier strikes and more power behind his punch.

Overall, Grable has only been playing offensive line for four years and is understandably undeveloped in a few areas, but the improvements he’s shown in a short time and his athletic upside are promising. He is a developmental prospect (some teams like him best at center) who has yet to play his best football.

The Minnesota Vikings selected Alabama kicker Will Reichard with the 203rd pick. Reichard was the No. 1-ranked kicker in The Athletic's Dane Brugler's rankings.

The Indianapolis Colts selected Marshall cornerback Micah Abraham with the 201st pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Abraham: Abraham, the youngest of three, grew up in a football family. His father (Donnie) was a third-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft and collected 38 interceptions in his NFL career (he is currently a coach in the UFL). Micah was All-Region in football and track at East Lake (Fla.) High and was a three-star recruit, signing with Marshall over Boston College. He started as a true freshman (originally at safety before moving to corner) and finished his career with a school-record 55 passes defended.

Abraham has terrific eyes and feel for passing concepts, which allows him to jump throws and put his ball skills to good use. Though he can usually recover in time, his aggressive style will force him out of phase, and NFL quarterbacks will test him early and oft en. He can be outmuscled through the route. Overall, Abraham is undersized, but he posted outstanding on-ball production in college and has the NFL speed and bloodlines that won’t go unnoticed.

The Carolina Panthers selected Mississippi State defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy with the 200th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Crumedy: A five-year starter at Mississippi State, Crumedy played primarily as a three-technique in former head coach Zach Arnett’s 3-3-5 base scheme while also working over the A-gap and as a four-technique end. Despite the changeover in Starkville (played for four head coaches), his talent found ways to stand out over the years even if it wasn’t consistent or always reflected in the stat sheet.

With low pads and knee bend, Crumedy plays explosive as a pass rusher, although his hands are more busy than efficient, and his rush plan needs to be more calculated to unlock his talent. His quickness and length show in the run game when he has lanes to pursue, but he plays with inconsistent gap control and allows angle blocks to get too far into him.

Overall, Crumedy’s tape is more sporadic than consistent, but if you grade the flashes, not many 300-pounders have his athletic movements and power potential, which will keep him around if his fire stays lit. He projects as a rotational three-technique in a 4-3 or five-technique in odd fronts.

The New Orleans Saints selected Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd with the 199th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Boyd: A four-year starter at Northern Iowa, Boyd played nose tackle in defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson’s 3-4 base scheme and led the Panthers’ defensive line in snaps played in 2023 (averaged 57.4 snaps per game). He showed steady improvements each season in college and earned draftable grades from NFL scouts but was a surprise combine snub and didn’t work out at the UNI pro day because of a Grade 1 left groin strain from training.

When his peeking eyes stay elevated and his hands are right, Boyd can control gaps and make stops in the run game. Relying on his mass to create push, he struggles to work laterally off his advances, but his rush moves have shown development (doubled his pressures from 21 in 2022 to 40 in 2023).

Overall, Boyd can get stuck on blocks versus long-armed resistance, but he is a stout run stuffer who eats up space and flashes pass-rush potential. He will interest different schemes as a quality depth piece.

The Miami Dolphins selected California safety Patrick McMorris with the 198th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on McMorris: A three-star recruit, McMorris signed with San Diego State as a defensive back and was a two-year starter at the “Aztec” safety position. For his final season, he transferred to Cal, where his two brothers (Malik, Hakim) ran track. He finished second on the team in tackles in 2023.

McMorris is a loose mover with the feet and physicality of a former running back. He is a fast-flow player, which can help him make plays on the ball, but it also moves him off the post and disrupts his drive angles. Against the run, he struggles finding his balance and streaky technique leads to missed tackles.

Overall, McMorris lacks high-end range and needs to become a more reliable tackler, but NFL teams understandably like his play recognition and physicality.

The Los Angeles Rams selected Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis with the 196th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Davis: A five-year starter at Clemson, Davis was a versatile defensive tackle in defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin’s four-man front, lining up as both a nose and three-technique. Despite a career low in sacks as a super senior, he put together his best tape as a run defender in 2023, earning All-ACC honors for the fourth time in his five years.

Davis plays aware versus the run with his feel for play development and the violent hands to free himself and show off his range. As a pass rusher, he doesn’t show a consistent plan but can reset the line of scrimmage with his bull rush and flashes a closing burst when he sidesteps blocks.

Overall, Davis doesn’t have high-upside traits that NFL teams generally desire, but he reads well, stays active and offers the experience to add depth to an NFL defensive line room. He projects as a rotational nose tackle in the NFL, although it might be tough for him to become much more than that.

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Texas cornerback Ryan Watts with the 195th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Watts: A two-year starter at Texas, Watts was an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s 4-3 base scheme and quarters-based coverage. After two seasons as an Ohio State reserve, he earned a starting role the past two seasons for the Longhorns but returned mixed results.

Though he has the length to match up with size in press, he gets leggy in his transitions and struggles to stay connected on the outside (73.5 percent of his targets in 2023 resulted in a completion). His athletic twitch on the field doesn’t match what’s suggested in his testing numbers. When his eyes stay on time, however, he flashes burst and strong tackling skills on plays in front of him.

Overall, Watts has elite size and an outstanding athletic profile, but undisciplined tendencies in his coverage likely will push him to safety in the NFL (he saw safety reps during East-West Shrine Bowl practices). His special-teams potential could help keep him on an NFL roster during his likely position change.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan with the 194th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on McLachlan: A two-year starter at Arizona, McLachlan was a hybrid Y tight end in former head coach Jedd Fisch vertical/horizontal stretch offense (69.4 percent inline, 22.3 percent in the slot). After four years in the FCS, he walked on for Arizona (while rehabbing an ACL injury). Eventually, he passed Rob Gronkowski as the school’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (79 career catches to Gronkowski’s 75).

McLachlan is very smooth in his adjustments at the catch point to swallow the football and turn upfield (zero drops in 2023 and 81.8 percent of his targets resulted in a reception, No. 2 in the FBS among tight ends). He builds up his speed quickly to reach vacated zones but tends to drift and needs to become more detailed in his routes.

Overall, McLachlan is a good-sized athlete who can shine at the catch point with his strong ball skills, although his development with routes and run blocking will determine his NFL ceiling. He projects as a reserve tight end with a chance to be a long-term contributor.

The Patriots have needs all over the field, including quarterback. And, apparently, new lead man Elliot Wolf is rebuilding the entire room all at once. New England drafted Drake Maye at No. 3 overall and just took Tennessee QB (and Michigan transfer) Joe Milton – the man with the strongest arm in the draft. Milton is a massive, powerful athlete with a once-in-a-generation arm. At the combine, Milton told me the fastest he’s been clocked from a baseball mound is 98 miles per hour. There’s a lot of work to do here from a footwork, vision and consistency standpoint – but the traits are easy to buy on. Very interesting.

The Seattle Seahawks selected Auburn cornerback DJ James with the 192nd pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on James: A three-year starter at Auburn, James was the field cornerback in defensive coordinator Ron Roberts’ zone scheme (with some man looks worked in). After two seasons at Oregon, he returned to his home state and led the Tigers in passes defended each of the last two seasons — although, he was on the wrong end of the final play vs. Alabama in 2023.

A quick-reaction athlete, James has the twitchy feet and competitive demeanor to stay connected to the hips of receivers. Though he doesn’t lack confidence, his marginal play strength and uneven results as a run defender will follow him to the pro game.

Overall, James won’t be a fit for every scheme, because of his undersized build, but his quick feet will help him maintain phase in coverage. If he can handle big slots and improve his consistency as a tackler, he will compete for a starting nickel role in the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals selected UAB wide receiver Tejhaun Palmer with the 191st pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Palmer: Tejhaun Palmer started playing football at age 6 and was a standout in both basketball and football (receiver and cornerback) at Brown Deer (Wis.) High. He went the juco route and enrolled at Snow (Utah) College, where he earned All-America status in spring of 2021.

Palmer received a full-ride offer from UAB, and his production steadily increased over the last three seasons, including career bests as a senior in 2023 (led the AAC in with 18 .3 yards per reception). Palmer was always a “freak” according to his coaches — and being part of an FBS program helped develop that talent. He has explosive stride acceleration entering his routes and will run away from pursuit once he gains a step. He has strong ball skills and maintains his catch focus in a crowd or open space.

Overall, Palmer lacks precision in his routes and overall consistency, but he is a dynamic height/weight/speed athlete with more talent than meets the eye.