Goldfish's Way Too Early Draft Rankings 2024 (All Up)

[RaidersAreOne]

1 minute ago, Chiefer said:

His comp is Desean Jackson, I can dig it. This is 2024 these guys are a lot more successful now than ever before. 

Hell put on another 10 pounds and keep most of the speed, Chiefs needed it anyways 

Really, Djax? I have not heard that comparison to Worthy before. He has that elite level agility?

Also you make it sound so easy to toss on 10 lbs haha, especially for a dude who is uber thin with a small frame. That's why I think Ross' 40 time is way more impressive as he did 23 lbs heavier. 

I'd be weary of messing with what made Worthy get drafted so high tbh. Would he have sniffed the 1st if he didn't break the 40 record?

[onejayhawk]

I was expecting the Chiefs in this area. They did well with what they had but did not have as much capital as the teams in front of them. I recently praised the Chargers as having a Chiefs-type draft plus a top-10 pick. That's hard to overcome.

The round #7 OL, C.J. Hanson, reminds me of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, a Canadian OL drafted in 2014. He was green as turf but put together a decent career and earned a SB ring, before deciding to be an MD. Hanson is top-5 in RAS for IOL and is the first draft pick from Holy Cross in decades. I would not be surprised if he turned out to be special. Chiefs' late-round picks and UDFA tend to be driven. 

Except for Worthy in Round #1, most of this draft was about future OL needs. OT Donovan Smith is gone. IOL Nick Allegretti is gone. Two players, C Creed Humphrey and G Trey Smith are in the final year of their rookie contracts. Pro Bowl G Joe Thuney is 32 this season and has two years remaining. he was unable to play in the Super Bowl.

At OT Jamaal Taylor has two years but his 2026 contract is edible. Lucas Niang is in his last season. Kingsley Suamataia has a lot to learn but there could be an opening in 2025. Wanya Morris seems to be penciled on the depth chart as LT. Jawan Taylor could take the job in camp but that would mean a significant upgrade in play. 

The other two picks are typical of Veach sniping secondary players. Hicks is almost perfect for the modern LB/S role. He's a downhill player with a physical mentality. Jadden is an injury concern but carried a day #2 pedigree. L'Jarius Sneed will be missed but the cupboard is not bare. 

One thing that strikes me about all the youth and athleticism that Veach has drafted. He also drafts hitters. The defense is looking mean and the OL is a far cry from the finesse unit of the 2019 champions. 

[Chiefer]

20 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Really, Djax? I have not heard that comparison to Worthy before. He has that elite level agility?

Also you make it sound so easy to toss on 10 lbs haha, especially for a dude who is uber thin with a small frame. That's why I think Ross' 40 time is way more impressive as he did 23 lbs heavier. 

I'd be weary of messing with what made Worthy get drafted so high tbh. Would he have sniffed the 1st if he didn't break the 40 record?

Andy Reid said that comp specifically, why do you think he okayed the trade up? If there’s anybody who can get a small, fast receiver to be successful then I don’t know how anybody could doubt Andy Reid  to do it, this is very clearly his best fit in the NFL

and yes we probably still draft him even if he runs a 4.25 or 4.28 lol. Andy thinks he’s Desean level and is great friends with Sark, and Sark loves the kids intelligence and toughness. 

Edited May 7 by Chiefer

[RaidersAreOne]

Just now, Chiefer said:

Andy Reid said that comp specifically, why do you think he okayed the trade up? If there’s anybody who can get a small, fast receiver to be successful then I don’t know how anybody could doubt Andy Reid  to do it, this is very clearly his best fit in the NFL.

He cut weight to run the fastest, and he’s already talked about gaining 7-10. It’s really not unfeasible. 

and yes we probably still draft him even if he runs a 4.25 or 4.28 lol. Andy thinks he’s Desean level and is great friends with Sark, and Sark loves the kids intelligence and toughness. 

Interesting. Those are some lofty expectations on the rookie then lol. He has the best OC, best QB and seemingly an immense level of hype. It would be an utter failure if this guy doesn't go off if he is deemed Djax Jr.

[onejayhawk]

13 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Really, Djax? I have not heard that comparison to Worthy before. He has that elite level agility?

Also you make it sound so easy to toss on 10 lbs haha, especially for a dude who is uber thin with a small frame. That's why I think Ross' 40 time is way more impressive as he did 23 lbs heavier. 

I'd be weary of messing with what made Worthy get drafted so high tbh. Would he have sniffed the 1st if he didn't break the 40 record?

DJax came in at the same weight. The Chiefs staff thinks they can add 10 useful pounds before the season. XW is barely 21 so he is still growing and filling out. Another comparison is the likely first impact--as PR. Same for Tyreek Hill as it happens. 

In that vein, don't overlook international player Louis Rees-Zammit. He's a rugby player with extensive experience making tacklers miss in space. Generally, the UDFA class is considered top 5 by the people who rate such things. 

[Chiefer]

12 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Interesting. Those are some lofty expectations on the rookie then lol. He has the best OC, best QB and seemingly an immense level of hype. It would be an utter failure if this guy doesn't go off if he is deemed Djax Jr.

Eh if we threepeat and he’s a key part of it then this is a success regardless of how his career ends up lol

[Jakuvious]

24 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Interesting. Those are some lofty expectations on the rookie then lol. He has the best OC, best QB and seemingly an immense level of hype. It would be an utter failure if this guy doesn't go off if he is deemed Djax Jr.

I mean, that's how draft comp works. No one is comparing draft prospects to busts or depth players in advance lol. Makes for bad reading. Doesn't change what he needs to be, just means there is precedent for someone of his frame and athletic profile.

[Xenos]

2 hours ago, goldfishwars said:

9. Kansas City Chiefs

This Class In One Sentence:

Another strong, stealthy draft from Veach and co

Pre-Draft Needs (According to https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/team-needs-2024)

WR, OT, CB, DL, EDGE, IOL, TE

Selections

28. Xavier Worthy | WR | Texas

63. Kingsley Suamataia | OT | BYU

131. Jared Wiley | TE | TCU

133. Jaden Hicks | S | Washington State

159. Hunter Nourzad | OC | Penn State

211. Kamal Hadden | CB | Tennessee

248. CJ Hanson | OL | Holy Cross

Best Pick

I’m not sure I can pick out any particular one player, but I would say the combined value accumulated between picks 63, 131, 133, 159 and 211 is the most impressive aspect of this draft. Veach was really locked in and hoovering up the sliding talent at that point. 

Worst Pick

Xavier Worthy – Okay, from the bounce I want to make it clear I don’t think this is a bad pick – more the most controversial. I thought the trade-up in the first round was fine, and it was smart to exchange value while retaining volume. There was a probably need to add (even) more speed at receiver and what better person to provide that than the fastest guy in the class and in Combine history? And he is a solid route-runner and decent with the ball in his hands – can rapidly turn into a runner after the catch. It’s the lack of armour which is a concern, not just from his ability to take hits – but also in having the play strength to fight through press coverage. That’s where the Chiefs have to be creative in their usage.

Overall

What on earth was going on with that Bills-Chiefs end of the first trade, man? What is Beane doing even speaking to KC, let alone letting them move up without getting a ransom? Very weird stuff. Anyway, it’s strong again from a front office which always has a plan to get better. And right about now, we should have been approaching an apex of the post-Mahomes contract strategy. But instead, the Chiefs are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins. How did we allow this? It is ludicrous to think about the prospect of this roster strengthening rather than being plundered and brain-drained. But that is where we are and it sucks for everyone else.

I like the Kingsley Suamataia selection at 63 a whole lot better than I would have liked him at the end of the first round. Considering offensive tackles were flying off the board, to see him take a bit of a slide probably speaks to the doubts on whether he should start games any time soon. He is a thickly-build offensive tackle who moves well for his size. The pedigree is excellent and he’s still very young at 20. There's a ceiling to grow into. He does need good NFL coaching as he plays too upright and is a poor run blocker (weirdly better in pass pro). But, certainly the Chiefs have done more with less.

I really like the almost back-to-back selections in Jared Wiley and Jaden Hicks. Both were top 100 players on my board, so a value plus given they went in the 130’s. Wiley has a Kelce-replacement level skill set in that he’s also a big-time athlete and a natural hands catcher with only one dropped pass in his college career. Like Travis, he’s a below-average blocker – but he’s an ascending player and was a real red zone weapon in his final season at TCU. Hicks is a bigger safety who diagnoses quickly and can hit and man-up on tight ends. He does have some stiffness, which might make him better suited to playing closer to the line.

Hunter Nourzad was another top-100 player on my list and feels like a decent replacement prospect for Nick Allegretti. He played guard and center during his time at Cornell and Penn State and called the protections in his final season. He’s an athletic puller and can hit targets on the move. Kamal Hadden I liked quite a bit as an aggressive lengthy corner who plays the run well as the Chiefs demand of their defensive backs. He’s coming off a serious shoulder injury, which probably contributed to his lower draft slot. CJ Hanson I know little about, but had very good testing numbers at the combine.

Also, not part of the evaluation, but watch out for Fabien Lovett as a UDFA pick-up. I liked him a lot as a run-first interior defender. I think he has a chance.

Reading about Hunter Nourzad just makes me even sadder that we drafted Stills over him 😭😭😭

[Jakuvious]

2 hours ago, goldfishwars said:

9. Kansas City Chiefs

This Class In One Sentence:

Another strong, stealthy draft from Veach and co

I think your eval pretty well mirrors the takes in the KC forum. Most are very, very pleased with what we did in the mid rounds. Consistent value at spots we needed it at from Suamataia down to Hadden.

But Worthy has been the divisive pick. A few love it, a few hate it. Personally, I am cautiously optimistic. Granted, I'm also in the stage where I kind of trust Veach/Reid/Spags intrinsically. There is little they could try to sell me on at this point that I wouldn't just be like yeah, you guys probably know best. I wanted a WR at the bottom of the first, I don't watch enough college ball or do enough draft prep to know which I preferred. From a profile perspective I have the same concerns about Worthy that most do. The size is off-putting, and history has not been kind to highly drafted speedsters. Though I do think he has a level of college productivity that many failures in that regard have not. Stylistically I would've preferred McConkey. Maybe Legette, though that felt high for him. But I also quite liked the Skyy Moore pick, and was more skeptical of Rashee Rice, and here we are. So like I said, I more or less just trust in Veach/Reid/Spags at this point.

[Soko]

42 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Interesting. Those are some lofty expectations on the rookie then lol. He has the best OC, best QB and seemingly an immense level of hype. It would be an utter failure if this guy doesn't go off if he is deemed Djax Jr.

Tank Dell was the same weight and was taking the top off the defense last year. Think it’s easier than ever for WRs to run unencumbered + have to trust that Reid will be able to get Worthy free releases.

[Chiefer]

41 minutes ago, Jakuvious said:

I think your eval pretty well mirrors the takes in the KC forum. Most are very, very pleased with what we did in the mid rounds. Consistent value at spots we needed it at from Suamataia down to Hadden.

But Worthy has been the divisive pick. A few love it, a few hate it. Personally, I am cautiously optimistic. Granted, I'm also in the stage where I kind of trust Veach/Reid/Spags intrinsically. There is little they could try to sell me on at this point that I wouldn't just be like yeah, you guys probably know best. I wanted a WR at the bottom of the first, I don't watch enough college ball or do enough draft prep to know which I preferred. From a profile perspective I have the same concerns about Worthy that most do. The size is off-putting, and history has not been kind to highly drafted speedsters. Though I do think he has a level of college productivity that many failures in that regard have not. Stylistically I would've preferred McConkey. Maybe Legette, though that felt high for him. But I also quite liked the Skyy Moore pick, and was more skeptical of Rashee Rice, and here we are. So like I said, I more or less just trust in Veach/Reid/Spags at this point.

Thing is mcConkey has injury issues(back) , and Leggette is 24. Those things move you down the Chiefs draft board, particularly with the first round pick. 

I thought maybe a trade back it would be feasible for them to be Chiefs picks, but Veach don’t trade back, so that wasn’t happening lol. I was pretty confident we wouldn’t have them to high on our boards despite how much fans liked em. 

Veach is particular, and that’s become more and more apparent with time. 

 

[Leoric]

Equally possible that GFW ranked the Chargers having a top ten draft or that he forgot they are an actual NFL franchise. I don’t think the Chargers have had a positive reviewed draft in 15 years. 

[bomont]

Nothing I'll lose sleep over, but shouldn't this thread be in the NFL Draft section of the site? And now that the draft is over, why pinned? 

[onejayhawk]

4 minutes ago, Leoric said:

Equally possible that GFW ranked the Chargers having a top ten draft or that he forgot they are an actual NFL franchise. I don’t think the Chargers have had a positive reviewed draft in 15 years. 

You will soon. The Chargers started well with Alt and kept adding value. 

[goldfishwars]

35 minutes ago, bomont said:

Nothing I'll lose sleep over, but shouldn't this thread be in the NFL Draft section of the site? And now that the draft is over, why pinned? 

Sorry