1(29) Tyler Guyton T Oklahoma
2(56) Marshawn Kneeland DE Western Michigan
3(73) Cooper Beebe G Kansas St.
3(87) Marist Liufau LB Notre Dame
5(174) Caelen Carson CB Wake Forest
6(216) Ryan Flournoy WR SE Missouri St.
7(233) Nathan Thomas T Louisiana-Lafayette
7(244) Justin Rogers DT Auburn
Lost 2025 7th round pick (Detroit)
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I'm just going to focus on the players picked and not the needs they didn't address like RB.
With the exception of Liufau, I like every pick. I even like Liufau just not that early.
I wasn't a big Guyton guy but at the bottom of the round with an extra 3rd round pick sure I can see that investment for a LT. His upside is enormous.
Kneeland doesn't get sacks so he gets dinged but this is the bottom of round 2 and he's now being groomed to replace a guy who also doesn't really get sacks in DeMarcus Lawrence. His skill set fits that role. You won't bully him. He's a stout run defender and a work in progress pass rusher who probably won't ever be a top sack guy. I'm fine with that.
I could go on and on about Cooper Beebe. That's one of the best picks I've seen this team make in a long time. Plug and play starting G who will probably end up being a plug and play C here and an upgrade over Biadasz.
Again, I could go on but let me just say this. There's a reason why Chuck Norris has never fought Cooper Beebe.
That cornerback was a steal. He's the self proclaimed stickiest corner in the class. You got these draft resources pegging him as a future starter. In the 5th round. From Scandrick to Bland to possibly Carson.
In fact of the 8 players selected, 4 of them are looked at as future starters, 1 more, Nathan Thomas, as a potential future starter (Mel and Lance Zierlein) and if you dig a little deeper you'll find Liufau a maybe too. (I liked him as a 5th-6th round target)
Flournoy was a good late round flyer and Rogers is just a fat guy who will be asked to clog the middle on early downs. Kind of like our 1st round pick last year.
I mean, I don't think this moves the needle at all in 2024 but there are some good foundational pieces that can pay dividends in the future.
i just can not hate this class. It was trench warfare. They are physically tougher after this draft.
I'd be stunned if it isn't a much better class than 2023.
Grade: B+