2024 NFL Draft: Underclassmen Who Impacted Rankings the Most by Returning to School
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2024 NFL draft was Monday, Jan. 15. The decision was likely easy for players who are projected to be high first-round picks, but others had a more difficult choice to make.
The advent of NIL and the removal of a redshirt year for transfers has given players more incentive to stay in school. If they don't project to be drafted as high as they expect, they could always transfer somewhere else and be showcased more to help their future draft stock.
Whatever the case, some surprising names bypassed the 2024 NFL draft, including multiple members of the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Bleacher Report Scouting Department of Brandon Thorn, Cory Giddings, Derrik Klassen and Matt Holder expected these prospects to declare, but they're heading back to school instead.
Eight particular prospects changed the complexion of the 2024 draft class, as a few are the best at their respective positions. Their decisions could force teams to reevaluate their options as they begin to put their big boards together and weigh how to approach free agency.
QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
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With 15 seconds left on the clock in the Sugar Bowl, the Texas Longhorns were down by six and were at the Washington Huskies' 12-yard line. Quinn Ewers' poor decisions and throws ultimately cost Texas the victory.
While Ewers' campaign ended on a down note, his ability as a natural passer and athlete made him an intriguing and moldable NFL prospect. But Klassen believes he made the right decision to go back to school.
"In all likelihood, Ewers would have heard his name during Day 2, but his grade probably veered closer to Day 3," Klassen said. "The 20-year-old, while a functional athlete with a good arm, struggled with the finer parts of quarterback play this past season. Ewers needs to develop his command of the pocket and become a more accurate thrower.
"Had Ewers come out in this class, he could have been a solid developmental option. Now, he will get a chance to show some of that growth with the Longhorns in 2024."
NFL teams are willing to overlook a certain amount of refinement at quarterback as long as the prospect has the physical tools and work ethic to eventually develop into a quality starter. Ewers falls into that category, which is why he likely would have been selected on Day 2, as Klassen mentioned.
Once North Carolina's Drake Maye, USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels and possibly Michigan's J.J. McCarthy are off the board, NFL teams will still be looking for quality quarterback options but will have fewer options. Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon's Bo Nix find in themselves in the next tier, and Ewers would have been in that mix as well.
Beyond that point, suitors will be looking at massive projects or long-term collegiate starters with obvious flaws.
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
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Before he went back to Ohio State, TreVeyon Henderson was B/R's No. 1-ranked running back prospect in this year's draft class. This incoming crop doesn't include a Bijan Robinson or even a Najee Harris-like option, but Henderson's explosiveness as a runner could have led him to being a solid second-round selection.
"Perhaps Henderson's best traits are his vision and footwork," Klassen wrote in Henderson's scouting report. "He's a smart, decisive runner with quick feet, flexible hips and good pacing as a runner. Henderson is a good 'slalom' runner in the way Ezekiel Elliott is, which allows him to bounce from gap to gap without ever being out of control."
However, Henderson does have specific areas in which he can improve with another year on campus, specifically as a third-down back.
The soon-to-be senior isn't a huge threat as a receiver, and he's nowhere near as polished of a target as other backs coming into the league as of late. His pass protection also leaves a lot to be desired.
Improvement in these areas and another strong rushing performance in 2024 could push Henderson into next year's first-round mix, though he'll now have to share the backfield with transfer Quinshon Judkins, who will also vie to become the RB1 in the 2025 draft.
With Henderson out of the equation, Florida State's Trey Benson is currently the B/R NFL Scouting Department's top-ranked running back in this year's draft class.
WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
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Before he decided to return to Ohio State, Emeka Egbuka was viewed as the top pure slot receiver in this year's draft class and carried a first-round grade.
"Egbuka is a silky smooth operator out of the slot," Klassen wrote in his scouting report. He's the kind of player who can be the glue for a passing offense.
"Egbuka is a good-not-great athlete, but he makes the most of his attributes. ... When it comes to change of direction, Egbuka is pretty to watch. He plays with exceptionally quick feet, but he does so with great control, too. He understands exactly how to tempo himself as a route-runner and never wastes steps during his releases or at the top of routes."
Egbuka is coming off a disappointing season in which he had only 515 receiving yards due to ankle sprain that required in-season surgery. His return to Columbus will give him the opportunity of another healthy campaign, this time as the Buckeyes' WR1.
Egbuka is wonderful at finding ways to get open and serve as a reliable option, but he doesn't display the best long speed or play strength. That isn't likely to change much with another year on campus. But his skill set is already good enough to be a threat in any NFL passing offense.
In this year's draft class, South Carolina's Xavier Legette, Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley and Georgia's Ladd McConkey will be viewed as highly regarded slot types to create in certain schemes.
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Edge JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
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Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau wasn't going to be in the top tier of edge-rushers in this year's draft class, which includes Florida State's Jared Verse, UCLA's Laiatu Latu and Alabama's Dallas Turner. But the two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection wasn't far behind that group, either.
Tuimoloau showed improvement this past season with more consistency. The 5-star recruit has flashed throughout his collegiate career, but he's never been a complete game-wrecker. His 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons aren't overly impressive.
However, the NFL draft is a traits-based business, too. Tuimoloau is a power-based edge-defender, and his impact isn't always felt in the box score.
"Tuimoloau projects well as a traditional hand-in-the-ground defensive end in even fronts. He has great size (6'4", 270 lbs) and can be a good run defender with his strength and physicality at the point of attack," Holder wrote in his scouting report. "Setting the edge is fairly easy for him, and he can get off blocks to make plays against the rushing attack.
"The biggest issue with Tuimoloau is he hasn't shown a lot of athletic traits that can help him be a productive pass-rusher at the next level. He is solid with a bull rush and spin move, but he lacks twitch and bend to win around the edge consistently."
In 2024, Tuimoloau can build a better pass-rush plan and work on the nuances of his technique to better highlight his strengths and work more effectively when rushing the passer. But no one can overlook the play strength he brings to a lineup.
With both Tuimoloau and teammate Jack Sawyer returning to Ohio State, the likes of Penn State's Chop Robinson, Washington's Bralen Trice and Utah's Jonah Elliss now headline the second tier of edge-rushers in this year's draft class.
LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
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Before deciding to return to Clemson, Barrett Carter was very much in the mix to be the first linebacker drafted this spring. The B/R Scouting Department had him solidly graded among the top 25-35 prospects in the class, and his game lent to him rising up draft boards as the predraft process progressed.
Carter was in a competition with teammate Jeremiah Trotter Jr. for LB1. In Carter's case, his skill set is predicated on athleticism and working in space.
"Carter is a very good coverage linebacker," Holder wrote in his scouting report. "He has impressive athleticism that allows him to man up against running backs and tight ends, and he has the speed to carry them down the field. He also has good eye discipline in zone coverage and has the ability to pattern-match, which is significant considering how modern NFL defenses function."
The 6'1", 230-pound defender thrives when running sideline to sideline and handling coverage assignments, which is why his value would have increased for today's pass-first NFL. As a natural athlete, he's also expected to test well eventually.
Carter isn't nearly as effective working downhill and shedding blocks. He should emphasize improving his run fits and finishing strong near the line of scrimmage upon his return to Clemson. Linebackers who can run and cover tend to hold higher value than those who can't.
Trotter is now the top-rated linebacker in this year's draft class, but Texans A&M's Edgerrin Cooper can make a push for the spot with a strong showing at an all-star game.
CB Denzel Burke, Ohio State
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Among all of the draft prospects who returned to school, no one held a higher grade from the B/R NFL Scouting Department than Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward.
Ward came on strong this past season after a suspect showing in 2022. He was in the mix as CB2 behind Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry for most of the in-season evaluation period.
"Burke is one of the top cornerbacks in this year's class," Giddings wrote in his scouting report. "He gives defensive coordinators scheme flexibility and toughness in the run game. He will need to continue work on his man technique to put himself in better position when breaking on the ball, but he has the length and speed desired to cover receivers."
Today's NFL is so geared toward pushing the ball through the air that cornerbacks are typically drafted very high in the process and often throughout all seven rounds.
Burke played with a real tenacity this past season, and he has the skill set to thrive in almost any scheme. His return to school may be more surprising than anyone else featured here.
The void creates opportunities for multiple other corners, starting with Clemson's Nate Wiggins, Alabama's Terrion Arnold, Oregon's Khyree Jackson, Iowa State's T.J. Tampa, Georgai's Kamari Lassiter and a hopefully healthy Cooper DeJean from Iowa. They'll all be bumped up in the draft order without Burke taking up a spot.
CB Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin
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Wisconsin's Ricardo Hallman displayed the best ball skills of any cover cornerback across the country this past season. The redshirt sophomore led all corners at the FBS level with seven interceptions, and he had 12 pass breakups as well.
"Hallman is a twitchy athlete with playmaking ability from multiple positions in the secondary," Giddings wrote in his scouting report. "A bit undersized at 5'10" and 185 pounds, he does a great job of transitioning out of breaks and playing the ball in the air. His scheme flexibility allows him to play in both man and zone coverage.
"When playing in coverage, Hallman has great footwork in his backpedal. He has the fluidity and control to quickly transition with little wasted movement. Combined with his smooth hips and supreme change-of-direction skills, Hallman does a great job of driving on routes with little to no separation."
Hallman probably won't hit a growth spurt anytime soon. He very well may be a primary nickel corner in the NFL. But it's hard to imagine he's going to come off a better season this year, when he could have taken full advantage of the momentum he already built.
If NFL teams want a playmaking cornerback with ball skills, they might start jockeying for Michigan's Mike Sainristil once the draft clock starts ticking.
S Rod Moore, Michigan
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The Michigan Wolverines are the reigning national champions. Head coach Jim Harbaugh may be leaving for the NFL. Key players such as quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back back Blake Corum and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. are headed to the NFL as well.
However, Wolverines safety Rod Moore wants to "run it back." In doing so, he passed on an opportunity to crack the top five safeties in this year's class and become a potential Day 2 draft pick.
"Moore is a versatile safety with a long, lean frame," Giddings wrote in his scouting report. "He made 11 appearances (including four starts) as a freshman at Michigan in 2021. He was a big-time contributor on special teams as a freshman as well, which should help his draft stock.
"Moore is an athletic safety who has the ability to play at multiple levels. He has a smooth backpedal, which allows him to stay square as a deep defender. When playing deeper routes, he has the foot quickness to break and drive on routes in front of him. He flashes ball-hawk traits when he attacks the ball through receivers, and he has good timing when breaking up passes."
The 20-year-old's ball skills helped clinched Michigan's third straight victory over archrival Ohio State when he undercut an underthrown Kyle McCord pass to seal the deal. The best part of that particular play? Moore played center field, came off the underneath route from the No. 2 receiver and worked his way to No. 1 before snatching the errant throw.
Right now, Miami's Kamren Kinchens ranks as B/R's top safety. It could get a little messy from that point. Oregon's Kitan Oladapo, USC's Calen Bullock, Minnesota's Tyler Nubin, Georgia's Javon Bullard, Alabama's Malachi Moore and Utah's Cole Bishop all fall around the same range as Moore previously did. They'll be the ones competing to hear their names called in the second or third rounds.
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