2024 NFL Draft: Week 4 Buzz and Best Prospect Fits for League's Worst Teams
Spotlight games create opportunities for NFL prospects to shine or falter in big moments.
Scouts love to evaluate best-against-best, and they'll wear out tape of prospects facing their top competition. In this past weekend's slate of multiple high-profile games, certain individuals either elevated their status or failed to meet those moments.
In the battle of the Pac-12, another top quarterback prospect emerged against the conference's best defense. Ohio State's top-10 tilt with the Notre Dame highlighted multiple draft-eligible targets, for good and bad. The entire Oregon Ducks roster looked phenomenal by manhandling the Colorado Buffaloes, though a single prospect deserves specific recognition. Elsewhere, a few early first-round projections aren't living up to preseason hype.
The Bleacher Report Scouting Department of Brandon Thorn, Cory Giddings, Derrik Klassen and Matt Holder add their valuable insight into each of these situations and more.
As for this week's mini-mock, a shakeup occurred because some of those teams considered the league's worst managed victories this past weekend.
However, the Chicago Bears aren't included in that. Instead, they continue to dominate the top of the 2024 draft since the projection is based on reverse order from B/R's Power Rankings.
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1. QB Cameron Ward, Washington State
Next year's quarterback class becomes more interesting each passing week, with Washington State's Cameron Ward jumping to the forefront during this period.
USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye were already considered elite prospects entering this season. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders played his way into first-round consideration, and Texas' Quinn Ewers finally started to look like the top-shelf talent that originally entered the collegiate ranks.
As for Ward, the 6'2", 223-pound FCS transfer lit up the Pac-12's top-ranked defense in an impressive performance during Washington State's 38-35 victory over Oregon State.
"A bigger Kyler Murray vibe emanating from Ward is off the charts," Klassen said. "Ward was surgical against a strong Oregon State defense by completing 82.4 percent of his passes for 404 yards.
"While many of Ward's best throws were down the field, he was also excellent at executing the offense's quick-game concepts and taking the easy throws when available. Ward might not be for everyone, but the arm talent, accuracy, and above-average athletic profile are worth a long hard look."
2. CB Khyree Jackson, Oregon
Size, length and ability to recover are key traits all teams want in the cornerback position, and Khyree Jackson has showed all three in his first season with the Oregon Ducks.
Prior to arriving in Eugene, he went to Alabama after a short stint at community college. During his time with the Crimson Tide, the 6'3", 195-pound defensive back primarily played on special teams.
At Oregon, he's now the No. 1 corner after Christian Gonzalez joined the New England Patriots. Like most bigger CBs, Jackson's potential issues are relative to his size.
"He shows to have fluid hips to open and swivel but may have some lateral tightness in press," Giddings said. "The transfer prospect can be handsy at times and out of control. But he displays very good ball skills when working downfield to locate and high point passes."
The previously explosive Colorado Buffaloes wide receivers struggled to stack and create separation from Jackson.
3. DL Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame
Certain games just mean more, and Notre Dame's Javontae Jean-Baptiste played like it with a team-leading eight total tackles and five defensive stops versus Ohio State. The defensive lineman fired off the ball with fervor and played with a white-hot motor against his old team.
"The Ohio State transfer put himself on the map against his former school with a big performance last weekend," Holder said. "Jean-Baptiste really stood out as a run defender and has great size at about 6'4" and 260 pounds.
"His combination of his measurables and a big performance on a big stage will place him on a lot of teams' radars regarding the 2024 NFL draft."
4. DL Braden Fiske, Florida State
Powerful, clogging interior defenders haven't been in style for some time. However, they still serve a purpose, especially in a league that's taking more and more of what the defense allows as units drop more defenders into pass coverage.
Braden Fiske has been a powerful addition to the Florida State roster. He does the dirty work on a front that also features Jared Verse, Patrick Payton and Fabien Lovett Sr. The MAC transfer has been the final piece for what the Seminoles previously lacked.
"After spending five seasons at Western Michigan, Fiske did garner a lot of previous attention," Holder said. "However, he catches your eye while watching Verse because of his impressive size at 6'5" and 297 pounds. The Seminole stood out as a run defender against the Clemson Tigers and could shoot up draft boards if he continues to play well under a bigger spotlight."
5. OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Notre Dame's Joe Alt is already considered one of the top two prospects in this year's draft class, and he's played well enough to close any gap that exists between him and Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
"At 6'8" 320-plus pounds and very good length, Alt's sheer size makes him an obstacle for most rushers," Thorn said, "but his impeccable overall technique, balance and movement skills make him such a high-level prospect.
"Alt has put together excellent tape after excellent tape so far this season, including in a loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes when he faced edge-rusher and fellow NFL prospect J.T. Tuimoloau.
"Aside from one rep where JTT caught him off guard on a power rush, Alt's use of jump sets, light, precise hand placement and quickness led to a convincing outing in pass-protection to pair with his usual strengths as a run-blocker. Alt isn't the most powerful blocker, rather an advanced one who wins similarly to Falcons LT Jake Matthews, only with a much bigger frame."
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1. RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Situation football is critical, especially at the professional level where teams are always looking for some type of advantage.
While Ohio State found a way to win Saturday against Notre Dame, Buckeyes lead back TreVeyon Henderson wasn't on the field at the time.
Why? He was a liability in pass protection, and the coaching staff substituted him off the field despite his 104 rushing yards. As a result, Chip Trayanum scored the game-winning touchdown with one second remaining.
"Henderson, the runner, is on the rise," Klassen said. "He looks to have rediscovered the burst and flexibility that eluded him for much of last season.
"However, Henderson as an overall prospect is still in dicey water. His pass-pro became a liability late in the Notre Dame game. He also has only seven catches between this season and last season. It's not as though he's outweighing his protection issues with receiving production."
2. LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
The Clemson Tigers feature two highly touted linebackers in Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Barrett Carter. They present different skill sets, but the former's makes it feel like he's greatly disappointed so far this season.
"During summer evaluations, Trotter was the one linebacker who looked like a potential first-round draft pick," Holder said. "He's a great athlete but has struggled to take on blocks this year and has gotten into the habit of leaving his feet and lunging to make tackles, leading to too many misses.
"Right now, he may have played his way out of being considered the class' top linebacker."
3. RB Donovan Edwards, Michigan
Donovan Edwards' production this season reads like a low-level backup at a non-Power Five school.
He's managed only 109 yards on 33 carries. A 3.3 yards per carry average is staggeringly low after posting a 7.1 average last year and given he is running behind one of the game's best offensive lines.
As a team, Michigan averages 5.0 yards per carry. Running back Blake Corum has a higher average this year (6.1) than last (5.9) when he was a Heisman Trophy candidate before suffering a season-ending injury.
Edwards simply doesn't look like the same runner.
"Edwards entered the season with a chance to be a top-five running back in his position class," Klassen said. "At his best, he is an explosive runner with quality receiving skills to round out his game a bit. The previously mentioned explosiveness hasn't shown up in 2023.
"The underclassman's longest run on the year is just 14 yards, which came against East Carolina. It's going to be difficult to look past Edwards' inconsistent vision and poor pass protection skills if he's not going to show up with explosive gains."
4. CB Max Melton, Rutgers
A strong start to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' season faded when facing superior competition.
Cornerback Max Melton is, arguably, the best prospect on the roster, yet he didn't step up when challenged by the Michigan Wolverines. In fact, they went right after the 6'0", 190-pounder for their only passing touchdown of the contest.
Melton was called for pass interference on the same play and still surrendered the score.
"Melton is versatile player who can play in both slot and outside," Giddings said. "He does tend to round breaks while showing average burst and movement skills. Clearly, the underclassman lacks top-end speed, ideal strength and plays with bad vision and route recognition."
5. OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
Being named to Bruce Feldman's list of exceptional athletes, certain expectations arise. BYU's Kingsley Suamataia ranked third overall and second among next year's draft-eligible prospects.
His play hasn't exactly represented such a gifted athlete, though. His pass set remains a work in progress as he transitions to left tackle. Plus, the 20-year-old suffered an undisclosed injury Saturday against the Kansas Jayhawks.
These things may seem like nitpicks, but they tend to separate prospects.
"It is easy to see the renowned athletic ability and explosiveness on film when studying Suamataia pulling, firing out of his stance and connecting with his hands on angle-drive blocks," Thorn said. "There is even some flashes of independent hand usage and differing striking techniques as a pass-protector.
"Reps can also be found that speak to the rawness found within his game regarding basic elements of playing tackle, such as recognizing and handling stunts, timing his footwork up with differing alignments in the run game and playing with proper pad level and leverage.
"This is just Suamataia's second season as a full-time starter with time to refine his game. As it stands right now there is a hot and cold aspect of his film that speaks more to a developmental prospect than an early starter."
10. Minnesota Vikings: DL Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois
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The Minnesota Vikings' attempt to rebuild on the fly has been been a failure.
Last season's NFC North champions are off to an 0-3 start and lack certain pieces to be competitive after dumping multiple established veterans this offseason.
A new quarterback for 2024 will be under strong consideration because Kirk Cousins is in the last year of his deal. But a signal-caller at this draft slot may be considered a stretch, even at this point in the process. It'll be a driving force next offseason, though.
Beyond a QB, Minnesota should just look to draft the best available prospect. In this case, Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton fits the bill.
Much like the Vikings, the Fighting Illini aren't experiencing the same level of success they did a year ago. Yet Newton continues to be a bright spot. The class' top-rated interior defender is a disruptive force with a relentless motor.
Newton alongside Harrison Phillips and Dean Lowry should improve upon the Vikings' 19th-ranked run defense, and the rookie would add pop as a pocket collapser.
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9. New York Jets: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
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If at first Joe Douglas doesn't succeed, he should try and try again.
The New York Jets general manager has invested premium assets and sunk large contracts into the team's offensive line since he took over his role.
Douglas drafted Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Joe Tippmann with first- or second-round draft picks, and he signed Duane Brown, Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, Billy Turner and Wes Schweitzer as free agents.
However, the offensive line still hasn't found any type of consistency. Injuries are part of the issue, but the depth is thin almost everywhere else, too.
All the previous moves need to be taken in stride and reworked around a legitimate cornerstone piece, such as Notre Dame's Joe Alt, who has been a dominant performer this season. He's a technician with the physical tools to succeed right away at the professional level.
His selection would allow the Jets to move past Brown. Becton can either stay at right tackle or move on himself. A reliable anchor is necessary, and the Jets can get theirs in Alt.
8. Tennessee Titans: OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
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The Tennessee Titans should be ecstatic if they're able to land the 2024 class' top offensive tackle prospect without owning a top-five pick.
Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu continues to show why he's considered an elite prospect, with the way he easily handles each opponent's top pass-rusher. This past weekend against a sound Iowa Hawkeyes defense, he didn't allow a single pressure, per Pro Football Focus.
The same can't be said of current Titans starting left tackle Andre Dillard after he faced Myles Garrett in what turned out to be a humiliating effort against the Cleveland Browns.
Dillard, who was signed to a three-year, $29 million free-agent contract this offseason, barely registered as an inconvenience for Garrett on his way to the quarterback.
Obviously, the thought of Fashanu stepping into the lineup and immediately shutting down an edge-rusher as good as Garrett is folly, but the potential to eventually do so is there.
A majority of Dillard's contract can be taken off the books by releasing him next offseason with a June 1 designation. From there, Fashanu and Peter Skoronski should form one of the league's best left sides.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
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Las Vegas quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is in the concussion protocol, but his injury history is well-documented. He's just not a reliable long-term solution at the position for the Raiders.
The Raiders can release Garoppolo next offseason with a post-June 1 designation and save $13 million, according to Over The Cap. Keep in mind, the rookie salary-cap hit for this year's seventh overall draft pick, Tyree Wilson, is $4.6 million.
Las Vegas can get younger, more talented and cheaper at the game's most important position by selecting Shedeur Sanders of Colorado.
The 21-year-old and his team are coming off a tough loss in which Oregon dominated on all fronts, but the quarterback didn't really stand a chance. The Ducks sacked him seven times, and he had no time to push the ball downfield or make consequential plays.
Still, the skill set is obvious. Despite facing so much pressure, Sanders remains unflappable in the pocket. He delivers the ball with wonderful placement when he remains upright, but he's being asked to do too much to make up for other shortcomings.
6. New York Giants: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
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The New York Giants don't specifically need a tight end with the sixth overall pick, with Darren Waller and Daniel Bellinger already on the roster. And the same could be said about one of the top offensive tackles after investing recent top-five picks in Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal.
Maybe the Giants go for the top corner at this spot, but Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is the best available talent.
The 6'4", 240-pounder would be an interesting fit in the Giants' lineup. He can essentially serve as the wide receiver the team lacks. For the most part, New York's wide receiver room is built on smaller, quicker targets, and it lacks a true ball-winner.
Yes, Waller basically does the same thing right now, but two things must be taken into account. First, he's 31 with an injury history; and second, the Giants aren't locked into a long-term deal. The team can release him next offseason and save $7 million-$12 million depending on whether he becomes a June 1 designation.
Bowers can bring a little Travis Kelce factor with him. Yes, he's a tight end, but he's also a top target.
5. Arizona Cardinals: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
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Head coach Jonathan Gannon has his Arizona Cardinals playing competitive football despite some obvious roster deficiencies. If they continue to play as hard as they have to start this season, a few more victories will emerge.
In doing so, the Cardinals won't be viewed as the league's worst team or projected to select with the first or second overall pick, as had been the case initially.
Granted, Arizona still owns a pair of top-five picks because of its status and that of the Houston Texans (more on that in a bit), but a plucky underdog deserves respect because it means its staff is getting the most out of the roster.
One thing the Cardinals lack is a true No. 1 threat. Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore and Michael Wilson are a talented trio, but they lack the size and dominance needed from a marquee X-receiver.
Florida State's Keon Coleman took full advantage of the transfer rule to move from Michigan State earlier this year. He's now being featured in an explosive offense and making the type of plays expected from a 6'4" target with exceptional body control and ball skills.
The 20-year-old will be an excellent target for whoever is behind center next season for the Cardinals.
4. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Edge Jared Verse, Florida State
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The biggest difference between this week and previous installments is the fact that the Arizona Cardinals have benefited from both their own and the Houston Texans' victories from this past weekend.
Not only are both teams competitive, but they also help solve a problem the Cardinals could face depending on where they land in the draft order.
By sitting outside of the top three overall, Arizona isn't likely to be in a position to select USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye. So, the question about whether it should move forward with Kyler Murray or another quarterback prospect becomes moot.
Instead, the Cardinals can address another premium position with the highest-rated defender on the board. In this case, Florida State's Jared Verse can join Cameron Thomas, Myjai Sanders, BJ Ojulari and the recently converted Zaven Collins.
While Arizona is young and talented on the edge, Verse is a different level of prospect coming into the NFL. Specifically, he's far more polished and nuanced, with the natural skill set to consistently create pressure.
Besides, head coach Jonathan Gannon came from an organization in Philadelphia that regularly invested in its defensive front so it could attack opposing quarterbacks in waves.
By being able to roll out numerous pass-rushers and utilize them in a variety of different ways, the Cardinals defense will become better instantly.
3. Denver Broncos: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
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The Miami Dolphins dropping a 70-burger on the Denver Broncos served as a wake-up call: The issues within this team run very deep and have done for some time.
"It was a tough day," Denver head coach Sean Payton told reporters. "Today's not going to be fun. It probably won't be fun anytime soon until we start winning some games."
"One of the things we preach about finding tough, smart players—it's not just for three hours on game day."
A historically poor performance would lead a person to believe this selection should be the highest-rated defensive prospect. But not so fast, my friends.
When futility of this caliber runs rampant through an organization, the best path forward is addressing the most important parts of a franchise. Quarterback always tops the list.
The Broncos have made a huge investment in Russell Wilson. He's played better than last season, but his overall performance still isn't where it needs to be. The organization should reassess and move forward with an individual who can create a spark.
North Carolina's Drake Maye hasn't been as good as expected to start this season, but the signs of a top-shelf prospect are always present with the type of throws and plays he makes.
For those who haven't seen him, the right-handed 21-year-old threw a left-handed touchdown this past weekend. The size, athleticism, ability and creativity to succeed are all present here.
2. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
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The one thing that's gone right for the Chicago Bears this season has little to do with the team itself, at least based on what's been seen during the regular season.
Five months ago, general manager Ryan Poles agreed to a deal that would send this year's No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers.
The move allowed the Panthers to select who they believed to be their long-term solution at quarterback in Bryce Young. As part of the deal, Carolina included its 2024 first-round draft selection.
Well, the Panthers have looked only marginally better than the Bears so far. Young didn't play in Week 3 because of an ankle injury. Carolina isn't in complete disarray, but the team clearly isn't good.
Chicago benefits greatly by owning the first and second overall picks in this projection.
Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. is everything the Bears hoped they'd get in D.J. Moore.
To be fair, Moore is a three-time 1,000-yard receiver, but he doesn't strike fear into opposing defenses. When Harrison is on the field, though, teams will be forced to account for him on every snap. He's at true No. 1 target.
Even when the wide receiver got rolled up Saturday, he returned to help the Buckeyes pull out a last-second victory against Notre Dame. He's everything a team wants in a prospect, with Moore serving as a wonderful complementary piece.
1. Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams USC
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Much like The Beef restaurant on the television series The Bear, the Chicago Bears organization requires a complete renovation and fresh start. In this particular instance, the biggest difference would be a change at head chef.
Justin Fields already looks beaten down and disheartened. He's clearly not comfortable in Luke Getsy's offensive scheme. At the moment, the 24-year-old ranks last in QBR, 31st in quarterback rating and completion percentage and 28th in yards per pass attempt.
It's not entirely Fields' fault by any means. If the Bears' season doesn't turn around soon, a clean sweep will likely occur throughout the entire franchise because it's been a disaster.
Whoever takes over the front office and coaching staff will be the third regime trying to direct the signal-caller's career. It's too much. Instead, the Bears need their version of Carmen Berzatto—the best of the best when he gets cookin'.
USC's Caleb Williams is the consensus top talent in a draft class that appears loaded based on early returns.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner hasn't disappointed in his return campaign for the Trojans, with 18 total touchdowns and no turnovers through four games.
A trip to the Colorado to face Deion Sanders and his Buffaloes will have all eyes on Williams and Shedeur Sanders. It's a fantastic opportunity for the former to show exactly why he's been the consensus top pick since this process started.
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