NFL Rumors

Three-Round 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2

March 17, 2024

Here’s Round 2 of our Three-Round 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

Links to Round 3 and back to Round 1 are at the bottom of the page, and there’s a team-by-team summary after the third round.

33 – Carolina Panthers: Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson

Nearly everyone mocks the Panthers a receiver with this pick but this team has a lot of needs and there are other ways to build around QB Bryce Young. Carolina was aggressive in free agency shoring up the guard position to follow the old Saints blueprint with Drew Brees. Austin Corbett will get first crack at center but he’s coming off back-to-back seasons ended by knee injuries. I think Carolina will prefer Powers-Johnson to West Virginia C Zach Frazier due to the former’s size to create a wall in the pocket.

34 – New England Patriots: Oregon WR Troy Franklin

The Patriots have struck out so far in free agency and on the trade market for help at receiver, so getting an explosive player like Franklin for Maye is a priority. Franklin is tall but skinny at 6-2 and 176 pounds with speed to threaten deep and outstanding production the past two seasons.

35 – Arizona Cardinals: Illinois DT Johnny Newton

There are some promising pieces for the Cardinals on offense, but the defensive roster remains largely a wasteland and a reminder of how far to go the team still has. Arizona invested a lot of its free agent budget in defensive linemen and can continue adding to the line of scrimmage with Newton, who projects as a potential pass-rushing three-technique at the next level.

36 – Washington Commanders: Arizona OT Jordan Morgan

The Commanders need help at both left tackle and left guard. Some teams project Morgan inside at the NFL level although he acquitted himself well at left tackle in college. Either way, Washington hopefully lands a starting upgrade.

37 – Los Angeles Chargers: Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper

Los Angeles is thin at off-ball linebacker and it’s an important position in new DC Jessie Minter‘s system. It’s not a great year for linebacker prospects, something that’s being said a lot in recent years, but Cooper stands out at the top of the class for his excellent athleticism and production.

38 – Tennessee Titans: Washington State S Jaden Hicks

The Titans need help on the back end of the defense and Day 2 looks like a sweet spot for safeties. Hicks has the best size-speed combination in a class that’s crowded at the top, which could help him stand out for Tennessee.

39 – Carolina Panthers (NYG): Western Michigan DE Marshawn Kneeland

Carolina patched its hole at edge rusher in free agency by signing both Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum. But they need new foundational pieces to rebuild the group after trading away Brian Burns. Kneeland has fascinated the NFL and took double-digit official visits. His production at Western Michigan was modest but he tested like an outstanding athlete at 6-3 and 267 pounds, running a 4.75-second 40 and nearly cracking seven seconds in the three-cone drill. In terms of projecting success at the NFL level, athleticism historically has mattered more than production.

40 – Washington Commanders (CHI): Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders

Teams that draft a quarterback high usually double back with a pass-catcher for their young passer to grow with. Washington also has a major void at tight end and hosted Sanders for an official visit.

41 – Green Bay Packers (from NYJ): Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace

Green Bay has shown a lot of interest in Wallace, including a formal interview at the Combine and an official visit out to Lambeau. This is higher than the consensus rank for the Kentucky backer but he is a superb athlete at 6-1 and 237 pounds, running a 4.51-second 40 and putting up great explosion numbers in the jumps at the Combine. The Packers need help at linebacker and Wallace is battle-tested with three years of reps in the SEC.

42 – Houston Texans (MIN): Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr.

Houston traded Maliek Collins and struck out on Arik Armstead, so they need an explosive pass-rushing three-technique in the middle of their defense to develop long-term and share reps with 33-year-old DL Denico Autry. Hall has a ton of pass-rushing juice that didn’t translate to production at Ohio State, but he’s had a busy pre-draft visit schedule, including a trip to Houston.

43 – Atlanta Falcons: Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa

Defense will be the primary focus for the Falcons in this draft with needs in the secondary and on the line of scrimmage. Tampa should be a good fit in Atlanta’s new scheme under HC Raheem Morris and DC Jimmy Lake, with length and agility to excel in off coverage.

44 – Las Vegas Raiders: Oregon QB Bo Nix

Things should line up better for the Raiders to take a shot on a quarterback with this pick, even if it means packaging some others to trade up in the second round or the end of Round 1. Either way, Nix would seem to fit as one of the targets. He’s experienced, tough, mobile and by all accounts checks a lot of the leadership boxes teams want to see. All of these attributes have also been mentioned by Raiders HC Antonio Pierce. Nix would be entering a crowded quarterback room but he has better physical tools than both Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.

45 – New Orleans Saints (DEN): Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley

New Orleans needs more help around No. 1 WR Chris Olave, even though speedster Rashid Shaheed is an interesting player and there are obvious connections between free-agent WR Hunter Renfrow and QB Derek Carr. Corley brings a different element than all three with his ability after the catch. In some ways, he’s more of a long-term replacement for RB Alvin Kamara who has an out in his contract after this season. Corley also visited the Saints.

46 – Indianapolis Colts: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

Colts GM Chris Ballard has a type when it comes to draft prospects — big and athletic. Legette checks those boxes in a major way. At 6-1 and 220 pounds, Legette ran a sub-4.4-second 40 time. His testing and a massive final season at South Carolina will probably outweigh four previous nondescript years, and Indianapolis needs more pass-catchers to help young QB Anthony Richardson.

47 – New York Giants (SEA): LSU DT Maason Smith

If the Giants pass on a quarterback, they have to be prepared to miss out on the top six options entirely unless they trade up, as happens in this situation. However, between Daniel Jones and Drew Lock, there’s an argument to let things play out and re-evaluate in 2025. There’s no shortage of other needs, including the defensive line which lost two starters this offseason. Smith was on a lot of first-round watch-lists after a stellar freshman season but a torn ACL as a sophomore knocked him off track. He has rare movement skills at 6-5 and 300 pounds, though, and is among the prospects the Giants have summoned for visits.

48 – Jacksonville Jaguars: Florida WR Ricky Pearsall

Jaguars GM Trent Baalke was set to attend Florida’s pro day until Pearsall pulled out. Baalke stayed home but the Jaguars’ in-house film crew went anyway. The team’s need for a receiver has been punctuated by losing Calvin Ridley this offseason and Pearsall is a dynamic slot option who could give them another threat.

49 – Cincinnati Bengals: Georgia WR Ladd McConkey

Paul Dehner Jr., the Bengals beat reporter for the Athletic, has opined that McConkey is the perfect Bengals target on Day 2 to replace departed slot WR Tyler Boyd and eventually move into a bigger role down the road as an inside-outside option. McConkey’s numbers at Georgia were iffy but that’s easily rationalized as a product of the scheme and surrounding talent. On tape, McConkey is a tough cover and his workout highlights include a 4.39-second 40 time and 6.72-second three-cone.

50 – Philadelphia Eagles (NO): Georgia CB Kamari Lassiter

The Eagles have shown a penchant for drafting former Bulldogs the past few years and have a major need at cornerback. Lassiter ran a 4.64-second 40 at his pro day which was a major red flag considering pro days are usually considered more favorable workout environments than the Combine. But that lack of long speed could be covered up a bit more in a scheme like what Eagles DC Vic Fangio runs.

51 – Pittsburgh Steelers: West Virginia C Zach Frazier

The Steelers have a major hole at center right now and Frazier is a great fit. He was a started from practically Day 1 at West Virginia and showed impeccable toughness and football character, playing through a broken leg at one point. Teams will also love his wrestling background in high school. Frankly speaking, there’s a good chance Frazier is long gone by this point but center is not a high-value position for most teams and Frazier’s injury history works against him.

52 – Los Angeles Rams: Kentucky CB Andru Phillips

The secondary is expected to be a major focus for the Rams this draft with multiple new starters needed. Phillips is a name that’s gotten some buzz recently. At this time of year, there are 50 players hyped up by agents and insiders as “potential first-rounders” but the notoriously secretive Rams did have a private workout with Phillips.

53 – Philadelphia Eagles: Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw

If the Eagles pass on a cornerback in Round 1, double-dipping at the position on Day 2 could be a quick way to get better. Rakestraw has some big fans in the evaluator community for the way he plays on tape but his testing is a major concern. Relatively speaking, he’s small and slow at 5-11, 183 pounds and with a 4.51-second 40.

54 – Cleveland Browns: Florida State DT Braden Fiske

Browns GM Andrew Berry has a background from the Eagles front office and it’s apparent in how he emphasizes strength along both sides of the line of scrimmage. Fiske won’t fit every team as he’s a bit stubby for a defensive tackle but in Browns DC Jim Schwartz‘s aggressive 4-3 scheme, his ability to be a relentless disruptive force should shine.

55 – Miami Dolphins: Connecticut G Christian Haynes

Miami needs to rebuild along the interior of the offensive line after losing starting G Robert Hunt. Haynes has had a strong pre-draft process between the Senior Bowl and Combine and looks locked in as a Day 2 pick.

56 – Dallas Cowboys: Texas RB Jonathon Brooks

Dallas’ current depth chart at running back includes Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Royce Freeman. That screams of a team that hopes to land a player in the draft, and there are a lot of connections to Brooks. The successor at Texas to Bijan Robinson, Brooks would have pushed for an early second-round selection had he not torn his ACL in November. The Cowboys team doctor performed the surgery and Brooks has been among the prospects to visit with Dallas this spring.

57 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rutgers CB Max Melton

After trading CB Carlton Davis, the Buccaneers have a hole at starting cornerback. Melton has the athleticism to lock up in man coverage which is a perk for the blitz-heavy Bucs and HC Todd Bowles.

58 – Green Bay Packers: Utah S Cole Bishop

Although safety might be the Packers’ biggest need, the depth of this class should allow them to wait. Bishop is a well-rounded player who’s gotten a lot of Day 2 buzz.

59 – Houston Texans: Georgia S Javon Bullard

Bullard is one of the prospects who has visited the Texans on an official visit, and there are a lot of parallels between his skillset and current starting Texans S Jimmie Ward. Both are hybrid safeties/nickel corners. The Texans have been looking at safeties in this class and Bullard would give the team a long-term replacement for Ward and short-term injury insurance.

60 – Buffalo Bills: Michigan DT Kris Jenkins Jr.

The Bills had a fair amount of turnover at defensive tackle this offseason. They were able to bring back veteran Da’Quan Jones but they need more depth, including another body to rotate with starting DT Ed Oliver. Jenkins isn’t as enormous as his father but he should be a productive NFL player.

61 – Detroit Lions: Kansas OL Dominick Puni

Puni’s best traits are his versatility and his physicality, two traits that should be especially valued by the Lions who need long-term help at all three interior offensive line positions.

62 – Baltimore Ravens: Alabama DE Chris Braswell

The Ravens love dipping into the pool of Alabama players, and this might be their last chance now that the Nick Saban era is over. Braswell is an explosive athlete who is still putting his game together, which is the type of player the Ravens have prioritized at edge rusher.

63 – San Francisco 49ers: Michigan CB Mike Sainristil

There’s a ton to love about Sainristil’s game. He’s tough, smart and just finds a way to make plays. His background as a former receiver shines through. A team will probably take him earlier than this but it’s complicated because he probably projects solely to nickel corner in the NFL and that’s not valued quite as highly by teams right now. It’d be a home run for the 49ers if Sainristil was available at this pick.

64 – Kansas City Chiefs: Washington WR Ja’Lynn Polk

The depth of this class should allow the Chiefs to wait and still land a potential contributor at receiver, even if it’s not Polk. There’s been some Round 1 buzz for the former Husky, with NFL Media’s Peter Schrager giving him to the Chiefs in his first mock this week, just one round earlier than this slot. If that happens, there are still plenty of other wideouts the Chiefs could target. But I think they and a lot of other teams will find Polk’s well-rounded game appealing.

Continue To Round 3

Back To Round 1

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