2024 NFL Draft: Ranking every position group and how they could impact future decisions in free agency

Now that the first few waves of NFL free agency are complete, it’s time for teams to weigh whether it makes sense to sign a lower-level free agent in late March or simply wait until the 2024 NFL Draft to find players at positions of need. 

Clubs understand the quality of each position group in the draft, and it likely sways them towards or away from specific ideas in free agency. 

Let’s do a similar exercise. Here, I’ll provide a ranking of the best position groups in the 2024 draft and how it blends with what has transpired, and could still occur, in free agency. (Note: I’m using Pete Prisco’s top 100 free agents to quantify high-level free agents at each position.)

12. Tight end

Signees in our top 100 free agents: 4

Dalton Schultz re-signed with the Texans. Gerald Everett went from the Chargers to the Falcons. And Noah Fant (Seahawks) and Hunter Henry (Patriots) stayed home in free agency. And this draft class isn’t one to buoy a down tight-end free-agent class.

There’s Brock Bowers, then not much else. Even the most highly touted recruit after Bowers, Ja’Tavion Sanders, didn’t quite do it for me on film and had a disappointing combine effort, running the third-slowest 40-yard dash at the position at 4.69 seconds. 

A few names to earmark for Day 3 with some upside: Florida State’s Jaheim Bell, who gives me Chig Okonkwo vibes, and Penn State’s Theo Johnson, who was the largest and most athletic tight end in Indianapolis. Beyond that, we’re looking at those with TE3 upside at the very best. 

11. Linebacker

Signees in our top 100 free agents: 13

Free agency is the place to get quality linebackers this year, as a relatively strong linebacker class on the veteran market is counteracted by a very weak off-ball linebacker group in the draft. 

There’s NC State’s Payton Wilson, who was incredibly athletic at the combine, yet has some of the shortest arms I’ve seen at the…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2024-nfl-draft-ranking-every-position-group-and-how-they-could-impact-future-decisions-in-free-agency/

Author : Chris Trapasso

Publish date : 2024-03-15 15:59:59

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