The NFL draft can be considered a sports HR experiment teams use to determine worthy candidates fill the vacant positions in a franchise. The players are rigorously scouted, analyzed, tested, and interviewed to assess their suitability. Last night, the process culminated in Detroit with the selection of the first-round picks and players that could potentially alter the direction of a franchise. In this article, we will discuss the surprising moves from a wild 2024 NFL draft.
1. Michael Penix and the five other quarterbacks in the Top 12
In a surprise, the draft stayed close to what mocks had projected with quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye selected by the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New England Patriots. However, the most shocking moment of the first round was when the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr with the number 8th overall pick. Penix is a good quarterback who led his team to the National Championship Game and ultimately lost to the Michigan Wolverines. However, the decision is dumbfounding because the Falcons gave Kirk Cousins a four-year contract worth 180 million dollars in free agency. The Falcons may feel that Penix buffers this most important position because Cousins is not ready based on the Achilles injury. However, it would be crazy for the franchise to give Kirk so much money without knowing he is healthy. The Falcons were in a position to challenge in the NFC if they had traded the pick and grabbed a top-notch defensive player. Instead, they placed Cousins in a position where he is now under pressure, and a few bad games will lead fans to beg for Penix to get the starting job. Penix’s selection led to J.J McCarthy falling to number 10 for the Minnesota Vikings and the Broncos drafting Bo Nix at number 12. Round 1 showed that teams are desperate for young talent to be under center, and they hope these players become the face of the franchise for the next decade.
2. Where is the defense?
The focus of the modern NFL is the offensive side of the football because quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, and Tight Ends make up the stars marketed as the face of the league. Therefore, heading into the draft, we expected that teams would look to pick players from these skilled offensive positions, but we did not expect zero defensive players for the first fourteen picks. In fact, from the 32 selections in the first round, only 9 were defensive players. Also, the first cornerback in this draft fell to number 22 overall where the Eagles selected Quinyon Mitchell. Philadelphia will benefit from Mitchell’s presence since it was an area their opponents exploited last season, and they were able to grab the best cornerback in the draft.
3. How does drafting Ricky Pearsall affect the 49ers’ current weapons?
As the saying goes, “The rich always get richer” and it applies to the San Francisco 49ers selection of Ricky Pearsall with the 31st pick. Ricky caught 65 catches, 965 yards, and four touchdowns last season with the Florida Gators. Pearsall adds to the talented skilled position that Brock Purdy will have at his disposal with Deebo Samuels, Christian McCaffery, George Kettle, and Kyle Juszcyck still under contract. However, the selection could mean the end of Brandon Aiyuk, who is rumored to be an asset the team is looking to move for excellent compensation. It’s hard to imagine, but the 49er’s offense might even be more explosive next season.
4. Chiefs and Bills make interesting trade
The Buffalo Bills have fallen short of their goal of winning the Super Bowl in 3 of the past five years due to losses against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills traded down to the 28th pick and decided to trade the pick to their rivals. The reigning Champions used the pick to select speedster Xavier Worthy, who broke the 40-yard dash record at the NFL combine this year. Worthy is a risky selection because of his slender frame and whether he will hold up in the 17-game regular season. However, if he can withstand the punishment, then, he could be a matchup nightmare similar to Tyreek Hill’s game-changing speed. Buffalo needs to pray that Worthy turns out a bust because they will look even more silly.
5. Packers shock the crowd with a surprise pick
When fans expect their favorite team to pick a certain player that is available and the team goes in another direction, it makes for humor on live television. In most mock drafts, the Packers were projected to pick a defensive player like Cooper DeJean of Iowa. The player was on the board for the expected selection, but instead, a fan on camera seemed to be heartbroken when his favorite team selected Offensive tackle Jordan Morgan from Arizona. Morgan appears to be a fringe talent for the first round and may win the fanbase over time by protecting Jordan Love. However, the Packers fan was likely clamoring for a more attractive pick, and it was a hilarious moment in a packed Motor City.