We’ve covered the North and the East, now it’s time to head South to see how each team fared on draft day 2024.
AFC South
Don’t look now, but the AFC South has had an incredible transformation over the past couple of seasons and are primed to develop into one of the most exciting divisions in the NFL. There were times during the past few years where the division was almost unwatchable. After Jacksonville earned the first overall pick in the 2021 draft, they selected what we all assumed would be the top quarterback in the division for years to come in Trevor Lawrence. However, the rest of the division has added an influx of talent and these young quarterbacks will be coming for that mantle at the top of the AFC South.
The Houston Texans struck gold in the 2023 draft by drafting C.J. Stroud with the second overall pick. Indianapolis has found a unicorn at the position in Anthony Richardson who can become a true impact player if he can stay healthy. Will Levis slid to the second round of the 2023 draft, allowing the Titans to scoop him up. And while he might not have the ceiling of the other three quarterbacks in the division, Tennessee has gone out of their way to surround him with talent to give him an opportunity to succeed. As the AFC South looks set to be one of the highest scoring divisions in the league, let’s evaluate their drafts and see who will make an impact for them in 2024.
Houston Texans
- 2 (42): CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
- 2 (59): T Blake Fisher, Notre Dame
- 3 (78): S Calen Bullock, USC
- 4 (123): TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
- 6 (188): LB Jamal Hill, Oregon
- 6 (205): RB Jawhar Jordan, Louisville
- 7 (238): ED Solomon Byrd, USC
- 7 (247): DI Marcus Harris, Auburn
- 7 (249): T LaDarius Henderson, Michigan
The Texans didn’t have their first round pick this year after flipping it to Arizona at last year’s draft to select Will Anderson third overall. After the Texans unexpectedly made it to the NFL playoffs and easily disposed of the Browns in the wild card round, that’s a trade they would make one hundred times out of a hundred. Nevertheless, Houston still managed to make 9 selections in this year’s draft. With their first pick, they continued to try and overhaul their cornerback room by selecting Lassiter to join offseason additions Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson to compete for a spot across from Derek Stingley. Lassiter is another solid dart throw. He’s a savvy corner but dropped in the draft due in part to a poor 40-yard dash at his pro day (a reported 4.64). He should be able to play significant snaps in year one but will likely start off as a nickel corner as his instinctual play will earn him significant snaps in season one. He also plays much faster than his 40 yard dash would indicate. He allowed zero touchdowns and a passer rating of 48.7 in 408 coverage snaps last season.
Fellow second rounder Blake Fisher is a solid prospect at tackle. He isn’t overly flashy and his tape doesn’t jump off the screen, but he should be able to become a swing tackle for the team in his rookie season and develop into a reliable piece of their line going forward.
Third round safety Calen Bullock is my favorite pick for the Texans. He’s an athletic prospect that has incredible range in the defensive backfield and can turn into a real difference maker for the team. He might need some time to develop, but he’s a legitimate ball hawk and can develop into a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
After smashing the 2023 draft and being active in this season’s free agency/trade market, the Texans seemed to have taken a more cautious approach this year. Still, they added some potential impact players who could use some additional time to develop.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- 1 (23): WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
- 2 (48): DI Maason Smith, LSU
- 3 (96): CB Jarrian Jones, Florida State
- 4 (114): T Javon Foster, Missouri
- 4 (116): DI Jordan Jefferson, LSU
- 5 (153): CB Deantre Prince, Ole Miss
- 5 (167): RB Keilan Robinson, Texas
- 6 (212): K Cam Little, Arkansas
- 7 (236): ED Myles Cole, Texas Tech
The Jaguars entered the draft desperate to add another receiver to their room after their division rivals backed up the Brinks truck to steal away Calvin Ridley from them. So having Brian Thomas Jr. fall to them at 23rd overall even though they traded back was a big win. The fit with the team is however a little strange. Thomas isn’t even remotely close to the same type of receiver as Ridley, and his skillset overlaps with free agent signee Gabe Davis. But Thomas was in a tier of his own at the position after the top three receivers went off the board in the top 10. Thomas and Davis will give Trevor Lawrence two legitimate deep threats on either side of the field and will help keep the middle of the field open for the rest of the receivers. He still needs to improve his route running if he wants to truly become a true WR1 in Jacksonville.
Defensive line was definitely a position of need for the Jags, but they reached to try and fill that hole with Maason Smith in the second round. Smith notched a career high 23 quarterback pressures in 2023, but will need to improve his footwork and play recognition if he’s going to succeed in the NFL. He does have plenty of potential as a raw athlete however. The same can be said about third round corner Jarrian Jones. If both of these players hit, then they can be franchise pieces on defence. Unfortunately, with the Jaguars track record of drafting and development, that’s far from a sure thing.
Indianapolis Colts
- 1 (15): EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
- 2 (52): WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
- 3 (79): T Matt Goncalves, Pittsburgh
- 4 (117): C Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin
- 5 (142): WR Anthony Gould, Oregon State
- 5 (151): S Jaylon Carlies, Missouri
- 5 (164): S Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
- 6 (201): CB Micah Abraham, Marshall
- 7 (234): DI Jonah Laulu, Oklahoma
I’ve often criticized Colts GM Chris Ballard for his pensiveness in free agency. For years, the team signs their own free agents to large contracts but never seems to take major swings on UFAs to improve their team. But they flipped that script in the draft by taking some swings that could pay major dividends.
Indianapolis sat back with the fifteenth overall pick and were able to select the first defender in the draft. They had needs at multiple positions on that side of the field and opted to take a flier on the massive upside of edge rusher Laiatu Latu. If you follow the draft at all, Latu’s story has been well documented. He medically retired from football due to some serious neck issues that came up during his time at Washington, but continued to seek alternate opinions. Eventually he was able to return to the field and play two seasons at UCLA, becoming one of the most productive pass rushers in all of college football. Latu could have been a top five pick if it weren’t for the injury concerns after leading the nation in pass rush grade and pass rush win rate over the past two seasons. He also fills a major need for the Colts and is one of the few defensive impact players that opposing offences will have to scheme to avoid.
Adonai Mitchell was projected as a potential first round pick, often being mocked to one of the receiver needy teams drafting in the 25-32 range. There were also late reports that teams had character concerns with Mitchell. There’s an abundance of tape showing Mitchell quitting on plays at Texas to make teams comfortable with his commitment level. But, to be fair, he was the victim of some pretty spotty quarterback play. As a result, Mitchell fell to the Colts in the middle of the second round. The former Texas WR1 is a boom or bust player with top tier upside if he can refocus on a more competitive team and harness his natural skills. He can be a big time red zone producer with sure hands, and gives Anthony Richardson a high level WR2 behind Michael Pittman. It’ll be exciting to see what head coach Shane Steichen has in mind for the 6’2”, 205 pound receiver who runs a 4.34 40 yard dash.
Ballard was also able to add some nice depth to their offensive line as well as at safety. But their team’s draft and future will be determined by their big swings with their first two picks.
Tennessee Titans
- 1 (7): T JC Latham, Alabama
- 2 (38): DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
- 4 (106): LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina
- 5 (146): CB Jarvis Brownlee, Louisville
- 6 (182): WR Jha’Quan Jackson, Tulane
- 7 (242): S James Williams, Miami
- 7 (252): EDGE Jaylen Harrell, Michigan
Selecting a tackle was a virtual certainty for the Titans entering the draft. New head coach Brian Callahan brought in his father, esteemed offensive line coach Bill Callahan, to run that unit. And with his pedigree, there’s no way I can sit here and try and criticize selecting J.C. Latham with their 8th overall pick over some of the other top tackles. Latham is a massive prospect (343 pounds with over 25 inch arms) that needs some refining. But Callahan Sr. was convinced he was the right pick over the likes of Olumuyiwa Fashanu or Taliese Fuaga, and he’s done enough in his career to earn the benefit of doubt. I’m actually excited to see how Latham develops under Callahan’s tutelage.
The Titans continued to add size with their second round selection of T’Vondre Sweat out of Texas. Sweat was extremely productive for the Longhorns last season while on the field, grading above 90.0 as both a run defender and pass-rusher. His talent should have made him a potential top 15 pick in this year’s draft. However his draft stock dropped dramatically following a recent DWI arrest and some off-field/conditioning issues. The Titans might have an absolute steal of a pick in Sweat if he can mature and put the off field issues behind him.
Tennessee continued to revamp their defence after breaking the bank in free agency on offence, selecting linebacker Cedric Gray and corner Jarvis Brownlee on day three of the draft. Both players excel in run defence. Gray ranks first amongst all power five linebackers in run stops over the past two seasons (90), while Brownlee’s aggressive and physical play style earned him an elite 92.9 run defence grade over the past three seasons despite lining up mostly on the outside in Louisville. His playing style will allow him to step in and play nickel for the Titans on day one. Not bad for a fifth round pick.
The Titans new regime is definitely trying to put their stamp on this roster, especially when you factor in how active they were in free agency. The jury is still out on Will Levis, but there seems to be at least a plan here in Tennessee.
NFC South
The NFC south is a dismal division, but they did their best to stay in the headlines this offseason. The 2023 division winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers are mostly running it back in 2024 after eliminating the Eagles in the playoffs, re-signing both Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield. The New Orleans Saints continue to push back their cap issues for another year, but after another 9-8 season, questions remain about how high their ceiling truly is given how this roster is currently constructed. The Atlanta Falcons stole the offseason headlines, first by moving on from Arthur Smith as head coach, and then both in free agency (signing Kirk Cousins to a massive four year contract) and in the draft (using the 8th overall selection to draft Michael Penix Jr.). Meanwhile, the Panthers continue to be a disappointing franchise from top to bottom. Owner David Tepper continues to be in the news cycle for all the wrong reasons, and the team on the field is onto yet another coaching staff with some major questions at quarterback. The fact that they handed a possible generational talent in Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears is the type of move that can set a franchise back for years.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 1 (26): T Graham Barton, Duke
- 2 (57): EDGE Chris Braswell, Alabama
- 3 (89): S Tykee Smith, Georgia
- 3 (92): WR Jalen McMillan, Washington
- 4 (125): RB Bucky Irving, Oregon
- 6 (220): G Elijah Klein, UTEP
- 7 (246): TE Devin Culp, Washington
The Bucs draft certainly wasn’t the flashiest, but, in my opinion, they did an excellent job of finding some players that will make key contributions in 2024.
Tampa Bay is fairly set at tackle with Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke. So while Barton is listed as a tackle, it’s likely he’ll at least start his career on the interior of their offensive line. Barton has experience at center and has the athleticism to play all over the line in the NFL. He’ll be a day one plug and play starter somewhere on the line while he earns a role as a tackle of the future.
Day two for Tampa also looks to have yielded some early contributors to the team. Chris Braswell out of Alabama is a powerful edge rusher that can make an immediate impact in the run game. He isn’t as explosive as his former teammate Dallas Turner, but he brings some real value to a defence and will be at worst a rotational piece of the defensive line. Safety Tykee Smith might lack the overall speed to be a difference maker in coverage, but he’s the perfect player to stack in the box and has the aggressiveness to be a hindrance to an opponent’s run game.
Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving give the team some intriguing prospects to work with going forward. McMillan is a weapon out of the slot and is a nuanced route runner that uses his strength extremely well in the red zone. McMillan injured his knee in his last game at Washington which hurt his draft stock, but he’s much better than the fifteenth wide receiver in this year’s class. Irving is one of the toughest running backs in the draft and loves powering through tacklers. His 136 missed tackles over the past two seasons ranked second amongst power five running backs. He’s more a jack of all trades, master of none, but he can come in and give the Bucs more depth at the position than they had in 2023.
New Orleans Saints
- 1 (14): T Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
- 2 (41): CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
- 5 (150): QB Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
- 5 (170): WR Bub Means, Pittsburgh
- 5 (175): LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
- 6 (199): DI Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
- 7 (239): T Josiah Ezirim, Eastern Kentucky
The Saints don’t value cap space or draft picks as much as most other organizations. After their first two picks they had to wait until the fifth round to make their next selection. But, luckily for them, they might have hit gold with their first two picks when you consider team need and player skill.
Taliese Fuaga could have been a top 5 pick. He’s a tough and physical blocker who can give the Saints flexibility along their line with the ability to work as both a tackle or guard. The status of stalworth tackle Ryan Ramczyk is still very much in the air as he could potentially be retiring due to his lingering knee issues. So grabbing his potential replacement with the 14th overall pick was a savvy move by the Saints.
Scouting reports regarding Kool-Aid McKinstry have been all over the place throughout the pre-draft process. But, for the most part, he was considered to be a solid first round pick. Having the opportunity to draft him with the 41st pick was a dream scenario for the Saints. McKinstry is an aggressive corner with high level ball skills and plenty of experience after playing over 800 snaps for Alabama. The Saints seem to be quietly shopping Marshawn Lattimore and his massive contract to get some much needed cap relief, and being able to bring McKinstry in as the heir apparent in the defensive backfield makes that pill much easier to swallow.
After six quarterbacks were taken within the first twelve picks of the draft, Spencer Rattler had to wait until round five to be the seventh quarterback selected. He projects to be a strong NFL backup quarterback, but with how disappointing the Derek Carr run offence has been in New Orleans, there’s a possibility that he’s forced into action as soon as 2024.
Atlanta Falcons
- 1 (8): QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
- 2 (35): DL Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson
- 3 (74): EDGE Bralen Trice, Washington
- 4 (109): DL Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
- 5 (143): LB JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
- 6 (186): RB Jase McClellan, Alabama
- 6 (187): WR Casey Washington, Illinois
- 6 (197): DI Zion Logue, Georgia
Easily the biggest story of the draft was the Falcons selection of Michael Penix Jr with the eighth overall pick. The fit with the team after signing Kirk Cousins to a massive contract makes the pick seem like a true waste of assets. Especially considering that Penix, who is already 24 years old, is unlikely to get a real chance to be the team’s starter for another two seasons. In a vacuum, Penix is a quality prospect and was viewed as a first round talent heading into the draft. Penix is the only quarterback that recorded more than 40 big time throws in the 2023 season. Penix has a long injury history, but he’s come back from those and put together a healthy and impressive 2023 season. He’ll likely be a solid starter for the Falcons. However, all of the outside factors that should be taken into consideration while making such a bold selection seemed to have been ignored by the Falcons staff.
Atlanta’s biggest need on paper was most definitely on the defensive line. And while they opted to not address that on day one, they were able to snag some quality players on day two. Atlanta traded up to select Ruke Orhohoro, an extremely athletic and versatile player who can be moved all over their line. His tape and athleticism scores show that there’s a lot more potential to be tapped into after his college career. Adding Bralen Trice gives the Falcons a much needed edge rusher and comes at great value in the third round. Trice was one of the most disruptive pass rushers in college football over the past two seasons, racking up 189 pressures over 869 pass rushing snaps. Both Orhorhoro and Trice can be difference makers for the Falcons defence, but they’ll always be compared to what the Falcons could have added with the eighth overall pick instead of what projects to be a two year backup quarterback.
Carolina Panthers
- 1 (32): WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina
- 2 (46): RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas
- 3 (72): LB Trevin Wallace, Kentucky
- 4 (101): TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
- 5 (157): CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State
- 6 (200): DL Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State
- 7 (240): LB Michael Barrett, Michigan
The Panthers were facing an uphill battle in this year’s draft after their 2023 trade with the Bears became an unmitigated disaster. Considering the Panthers have traded their best player in three consecutive seasons (Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Brian Burns), they’ve been left with holes all over their roster. Frankly they didn’t seem to learn any lessons from that and made some questionable moves over draft weekend once again.
No one is entirely sure why the Panthers felt the need to trade away a day three pick to move up one slot to select Xavier Legette at the end of the first round, making him the seventh wide receiver taken. Legette was seen more as a later second/early third round prospect. So unless the Panthers were convinced that they needed that fifth year option to retain Legette, this move doesn’t make much sense. Legette was a completely irrelevant college receiver for four seasons before having a massive breakout in year five at South Carolina. He impressed with his strength and speed in an offence where he was the only legitimate threat. But I find it hard banking on an older player who has only had one good season in his fifth year in college.
Jonathan Brooks could be a breakout star at running back once he fully recovers from his torn ACL, but this seems like a luxury pick for a team that has so many needs. Granted, the Panthers are likely to move on from both Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard after this season so Brooks will get a chance to rehab properly and won’t need to step in and be a day one bell-cow. But for a team that needs help everywhere drafting a stash and hope prospect at a position that has diminished in value over the past few seasons seems like a pick that a team like the Panthers shouldn’t be making at this stage.
Trevin Wallace has some tools to be a solid player at linebacker, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders is a moveable piece at tight end that was a key cog of his team’s offence in 2023 while posting some really impressive catch rates. But, again, is filling needs at linebacker and tight end really going to improve what was the worst team in the NFL in 2023? It seems like the Panthers and yet another new coaching regime are going to be stuck treading water for another year.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
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