The first round of the 2024 NFL draft saw six quarterbacks and nine offensive linemen selected, both records for any individual draft. The overload at those positions led to some other positions being overlooked on Day 1.
Namely, running back and linebacker.
There wasn’t a single running back selected in the first 32 picks, nor did any linebackers come off the board. That figures to change on Day 2, but how quickly?
It might take several picks before the first linebacker hears his name called. Whether it’s Edgerrin Cooper from Texas A&M, Payton Wilson of North Carolina State or Michigan’s Junior Colson, the first off-ball LB likely won’t be among the first handful of picks. The shift to a base nickel defense package removed one starting LB spot from most every team, and a recent supply of good draft classes at linebacker has also diminished demand in 2024.
Prediction for LBs
Cooper or Wilson gets the nod in the 40-45 overall range, and then the top grouping will all come off over the span of the next 20 or so picks. That group also includes North Carolina’s Cedric Gray.
There is a separate problem at running back. Several prospects at the position are generally lumped together in the rankings and big boards. Jonathon Brooks from Texas might be No. 1 for one team but sixth on another. The same is true for Trey Benson from Florida State and Jaylen Wright from Tennessee.
That sort of “dealer’s choice” at a well-stocked supply of prospects could mean teams opt to pull the trigger and land their guy. But because of the relative depth of the class, a team that might need another position just a little more might look at (perceived) Day 3 options like Isaac Guerendo from Louisville, Dylan Laube of New Hampshire or Marshall’s Rasheen Ali and not find as much of a dropoff as they would at other positions from Day 2 to Day 3.
Prediction for RBs
Brooks and Benson each come off the board in the 50s, and then there’s a gap into the later realms of the third round. And then we’ll see a relative deluge of RBs in the fourth and fifth rounds as teams work their way down “need” lists to a deep running back class.
