Poor Landing Spots for Top 10 2024 NFL Draft Prospects
Now that the Super Bowl is done, the NFL offseason is underway.
This is the time of year when people start playing matchmaker with some of the top prospects in the draft. The majority of that talk is centered around who would be a good fit where, but what about the other end of the spectrum?
Using the top 10 players from the latest B/R NFL draft scouting department big board, we will look at one poor landing spot for each name. The teams selected have a need at the corresponding prospect's position and have been at least loosely tied to the player via mock drafts or rumors.
While the rationale for each poor landing spot varies from prospect to prospect, the general reasoning is derived from scheme fits, the supporting cast and coaching instability.
Marvin Harrison Jr.: New England Patriots
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To be honest, it's hard to find a "bad fit" for Marvin Harrison Jr. He's the highest-graded player on B/R's big board for a reason.
The Ohio State product can play in almost any type of scheme, is the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson and is the closest to a "sure thing" in this year's draft class.
"Harrison is a slam-dunk prospect," B/R's draft scout Derrik Klassen wrote. "He is a twitched-up athlete with polished route-running ability and elite ball skills. It's so easy to see how his game translates right away. Harrison would be an instant No. 1 WR for most offenses."
However, if there's one team the 21-year-old should be wary about joining, it's the New England Patriots.
They have a lot of needs offensively, including at wide receiver, so there's a decent chance they opt to take a generational prospect at the position. Granted, the team's brass might want to address the most important spot on the field, quarterback, which highlights another reason why they would be a poor landing spot.
If New England takes Harrison third overall, that means he could either be working with Mac Jones—who has been a subpar starting quarterback over the last two years—or breaking in a fellow rookie. That's not an ideal situation for any receiver, especially during their developmental years, though there's the chance New England signs a veteran QB if it takes Harrison at No. 3.
Still, with Bill Belichick gone and a new coaching regime taking over, the six-time Super Bowl champions are about to enter a rebuilding period with a lot of question marks that even a slam-dunk prospect should want to avoid.
Brock Bowers: Seattle Seahawks
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No one will argue how much talent and potential Brock Bowers has, but where he'll get picked in April is an interesting argument due to perceived positional value.
According to NFL Mock Draft Database, the tight end has been mocked as high as No. 5 to the Los Angeles Chargers and as low as 23rd to the Houston Texans recently. But Sharp Football Analysis' Ryan McCrystal sending him to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 16 does stand out.
"If Seattle wants to revitalize its offense, a legit weapon at tight end would certainly have an impact," McCrystal said. "John Schneider has only drafted one tight end before the fourth round (Nick Vannett), but Bowers is a unique talent who could force Schneider to break that trend."
While the idea that the Georgia product could help Seattle's offense is hard to argue with, it would be a tough landing spot for him.
Barring something changing during the offseason, the Seahawks offense already has a lot of mouths to feed with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, meaning fewer targets for Bowers to begin his career.
Also, Geno Smith will turn 34 in October and has a potential out in his contract after next season, so there's a chance of some instability at quarterback. Not to mention Seattle just hired a new coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
While the former Washington Huskies OC could end up being a good play-caller, this will be his first season as an NFL coach, so there's some uncertainty about how his offense will translate from college to the pros.
All of that could lead to underwhelming production out of the gates for Bowers, especially when compared to other teams he could join.
Drake Maye: New England Patriots
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As mentioned, the New England Patriots are a bit of a mess, especially on offense.
Their wide receiver corps lacks talent and a true No. 1 option, and their two best offensive linemen—left tackle Trent Brown and right tackle/guard Mike Onwenu—are impending free agents.
That's not an ideal situation for any young quarterback, even one as talented as Drake Maye.
The 21-year-old is the top signal-caller on B/R's big board due to his arm talent and underrated ability to create plays outside of structure, but one of his flaws is a tendency to play hero ball.
"Maye also has a little bit of Superman Syndrome," B/R's NFL draft scout Derrik Klassen wrote. "There are two or three plays a game where things break down and Maye feels the need to do something outrageous to salvage the play, rather than just move on to the next play or series. You don't want Maye to lose his edge, but some of those plays must be cut out."
With a poor supporting cast around the North Carolina product, those two or three plays per game could become more frequent. That will lead to some costly turnovers that could shake his confidence early in his career.
Ideally, Maye would go to a team with a more stable offensive line at least.
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Caleb Williams: Chicago Bears
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Part of what makes Caleb Williams such a special prospect is his ability to make plays outside of structure.
That's one of his biggest strengths and what separates him from other quarterbacks in this year's draft class, according to Klassen:
"Williams is, of course, a unique playmaker. He loves to hang onto the ball, sometimes to his detriment, and hunt for the big play. While normally a sticky proposition for young quarterbacks, the consistency at which Williams delivers in those moments is astounding. He finds unique angles and is always willing to attack them because of the faith in his arm."
While quarterbacks creating off-script plays has become the craze over the last few years, new Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron comes from the Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, which is a more rigid offense.
That system includes a lot of predetermined throws, which is why McVay and Shanahan have had success with multiple starting QBs and why there is so much discourse surrounding Brock Purdy.
Also, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is widely considered to be on the hot seat heading into next season, meaning Williams could have an entirely new coaching staff from year one to year two if he lands in Chicago. That's not a good situation for a young quarterback to be in.
The 22-year-old would be much better suited working with a play-caller he has familiarity with, such as new Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
They spent this past campaign together at USC, and Kingsbury had success in the NFL with Kyler Murray, whom Klassen lists as Williams' pro comparison.
Joe Alt: New York Giants
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It's hard to go wrong with drafting offensive linemen, especially ones from Notre Dame as the school has produced several plug-and-play types in the trenches.
So, it's easy to see why a team that needs an offensive tackle like the New York Giants would be interested in Joe Alt.
However, that may not be the best situation for the soon-to-be 21-year-old.
In South Bend, Alt was a three-year starter and a two-time All-American at left tackle. According to B/R NFL draft scout Brandon Thorn, he "has virtually every other tool and skill to become an immediate impact starter" on the blind side. The problem is if he's drafted by New York, he'll have to flip sides of the center.
The Giants' offensive issues, especially in pass protection, have nothing to do with how Andrew Thomas has played. He's been outstanding since his rookie season and earned a lucrative contract extension in the offseason that will keep him in the Big Apple until 2029.
So, Alt would have to switch to right tackle, which can be a more difficult transition than most realize. Also, one of his areas of improvement, per Thorn, is power as a run-blocker which is a common trait for a right tackle traditionally.
In other words, there's a risk that the Notre Dame product wouldn't be maximizing his potential in New York.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu: Los Angeles Chargers
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Olumuyiwa Fashanu could have been the top offensive tackle in last year's draft had he declared instead of returning to Penn State, so he'll be on the radar for any team looking for some help in the trenches.
With Rashawn Slater in the fold, the Los Angeles Chargers don't have a pressing need at the position, but they could afford to add someone to play on the other side of the 2021 Pro Bowler.
In this week alone, NFL Mock Draft Database listed a couple of mocks that sent Fashanu to Los Angeles at No. 5, most notably from Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports.
The issue with that pairing is that the 21-year-old would be a much better fit in a zone-heavy rushing attack, according to B/R NFL draft scout Brandon Thorn:
"Fashanu is quick out of his stance as a run-blocker. He gets to spots and into initial fits on the front and backside of zone runs with the length and play strength to press, pin and seal off defenders when overtaking on combos and on angle-drive blocks.
"While Fashanu can get to landmarks on time and win quickly, he struggles in the second and third phase of run blocks due to his base narrowing early, his pads rising and getting overextended as the rep progresses. This leads to mediocre sustain and finishing skills, falling off blocks and being on the ground too often."
That would be an issue with new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh's ground-and-pound style of offense. He typically likes offensive linemen who are finishers in the running game while Fashanu's biggest strengths are in pass protection and he has some work to do as a run-blocker.
Malik Nabers: Chicago Bears
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With two top-10 picks, the Chicago Bears are in a unique position for this year's draft.
They have a chance to draft a franchise quarterback and quickly turn around to give him a talented wideout to throw to for several years to come.
However, the Bears need to ensure the receiver they draft complements their other weapons.
According to Klassen, Malik Nabers is a good vertical threat who also can be lethal with the ball in his hands as a YAC threat. But he is on the smaller side (6'0", 200 pounds) and might struggle to be effective in contested catches:
"Nabers isn't a reliable ball-winner right now. He's excellent at tracking the ball as a vertical threat and reaching for passes outside his frame, but he does not consistently win in traffic or in the air. Nabers needs to show a little bit more aggression and strength when playing for the ball through contact."
Chicago already has a similar type of receiver in D.J. Moore, who just posted career highs with 96 catches, 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns and is signed through 2025.
Instead, the team and its new quarterback would be better off adding a wideout who can be a contested catch threat such as Rome Odunze.
Also, playing elsewhere would allow the 20-year-old to be the offense's top vertical threat, leading to more opportunities for him early on.
Jared Verse: Los Angeles Rams
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While Byron Young had a strong rookie season with eight sacks this past year, the Los Angeles Rams are still expected to be in the market for another edge-rusher to play on the other side of the Tennessee product and take pressure off of Aaron Donald.
Florida State's Jared Verse is one option the Rams could look into, and they've been linked in a couple of mock drafts recently. However, that would be a questionable scheme fit.
"[Verse] hasn't shown the high-level athleticism to drop into coverage at the next level," his B/R scouting report noted. "Florida State would occasionally ask him to drop and he looked a bit like a fish out of water. Because of that, Verse would be best as a hand-in-the-ground defensive end in even fronts."
Last season, Young and Michael Hoecht—the Rams' other starting edge-defender, who is a restricted free agent this offseason—dropped into coverage frequently last season.
Former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is now head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, but there won't be a dramatic philosophical shift in L.A.
"There will definitely be (similar) elements to it," new Rams defensive coordinator Don Shula told reporters. "I think we'll use a lot of the same structures, the same 3-4 structure and some of the same core beliefs."
So, the Rams would be better off targeting a more athletic edge-defender who can drop in coverage, and Verse would be best suited on a team where he can focus on rushing the passer.
Rome Odunze: New York Giants
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Any team that is looking for a wide receiver in the NFL draft and won't be within range to take Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. should be interested in Rome Odunze.
According to Klassen, the Washington product can help elevate an offense's passing attack with his impressive contested catch skills.
"Odunze is a quarterback's best friend," he wrote. "He's a reliable route-runner with good size and an accuracy-erasing catch radius. Odunze can be a classic X receiver who moonlights as a slot receiver from time to time thanks to his awareness and ability to play in traffic."
However, that doesn't mean the wideout's potential would be maximized in any team's offense.
To be blunt, the New York Giants are a terrible place for any receiver to land. Starting quarterback Daniel Jones is coming off of a torn ACL and has a questionable future with the team. His play has been up and down, putting it modestly, throughout his career and his contract contains an out after next season, per Spotrac.
Also, the Giants have major pass protection issues after leading the league in sacks allowed (85) by 20, and head coach Brian Daboll is widely considered to be entering a make-or- break year in 2024.
Between unstable situations at quarterback and head coach and problems in the trenches that make throwing the ball difficult, Odunze has a better chance at success somewhere other than New York.
Terrion Arnold: Indianapolis Colts
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Terrion Arnold is one of the biggest risers in the draft class after putting together an impressive campaign this fall.
The 20-year-old currently sits as the top cornerback on B/R's latest NFL draft big board and his versatility is a big reason why.
"Ultimately, Arnold is the top cornerback in this year's draft," B/R's defensive backs scout Cory Giddings said in his scouting report. "A complete and well-rounded defender, there isn't much he can't do.
"Arnold performs best when in press man, but he has the versatility to play from off coverage and in zone, with the added versatility of playing from the slot. He has the talent to be a Day 1 pick in the draft and figures to play earlier than later in his career."
The Indianapolis Colts could certainly use some help at cornerback, especially since Kenny Moore II's contract is about to expire, but it wouldn't be the best fit for Arnold.
Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is known for his simple, cover-three-heavy scheme that he's been using since coaching the Legion of Boom in Seattle. He doesn't waiver from that type of coverage much, and it's hard to blame him as he's had plenty of success in the past.
However, putting Arnold in that system would be like buying a Swiss Army knife and only using the blade. He'd probably be effective, but there would be so many unused tools that another defensive system could take advantage of.
Also, while the 6'0" and 196-pound Alabama product does have the ball skills Bradley covets in cornerbacks, he doesn't fit the physical profile in terms of height, weight and length that the defensive coordinator typically looks for at the position.
So, while Arnold could have success in Indianapolis, he'd probably shine more elsewhere given Bradley's scheme and perceived size thresholds for the position.
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