2024 NFL Draft Prospect Landing Spots That Would Create Elite Position Groups
Some people use the NFL draft to address weaknesses, but it can also be used to create some of the greatest strengths in the league.
The Cincinnati Bengals—for example—utilized the draft to create a wide receiver tandem in Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase that has helped Joe Burrow reach dizzying heights early in his career.
Adding an elite draft talent can take a group over the top. The Jets created one of the best secondaries in the league when they drafted Sauce Gardner with the fourth overall selection in the 2022 draft.
So the question is what elite position group will be created when the 2024 draft goes down on April 25-27?
That's the question we'll look to address here. From fearsome pass rushes to explosive pass-catching groups, these prospect-team pairings are based on realistic scenarios that could happen based on our rankings and the general consensus of mock drafts.
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. to the New York Jets
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Remember when the Cincinnati Bengals already had Tee Higgins on the roster and still chose to draft Ja'Marr Chase over Penei Sewell?
The move ended up creating one of the best receiving duos in the league and at least one Super Bowl appearance for the Cincinnati Bengals.
The New York Jets don't have the fifth overall pick in this year's draft, but they are within striking distance of trading for it. Hypothetically, the top four picks end up being quarterbacks with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy coming off the board.
That would put the Chargers on the clock with the Jets sitting at No. 10 and a desperate need for the Aaron Rodgers era to produce a playoff run.
Pairing Marvin Harrison Jr.—our No. 1 overall prospect—with Garrett Wilson would certainly be a way to elevate the team's ceiling.
The Jets have found temporary answers at both tackle positions. Tyron Smith is still a good option at left tackle when healthy and they traded for Morgan Moses.
That could free them up to make an aggressive move. The Chargers would be motivated by the opportunity to still grab one of the top tackles at No. 10 while the Jets build a dominant duo with Harrison and Wilson.
Wilson has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to start his career despite suboptimal quarterback play. Putting him with another elite receiver and getting a healthy season from Aaron Rodgers could unlock an even higher ceiling.
As for Harrison Jr., his pro comparison from B/R scout Derrik Klassen is "thinner A.J. Green." That's high praise and a good sign he'll be a force in the league.
OT JC Latham to the Los Angeles Chargers
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The Los Angeles Chargers are under new management with Jim Harbaugh taking over as head coach and Joe Hortiz becoming the general manager. New management means new priorities for the Bolts.
Specifically, there's going to be a focus on building an elite offensive line. The new coaching staff has been adamant about it and Harbaugh's reputation for building tough, physical football teams precedes him.
The Chargers roster has already undergone major changes this offseason. They lost both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, which creates a need at wide receiver. It also illustrates a philosophy of building the roster from the trenches out.
Los Angeles is in a great spot to grab one of the top receivers in the draft. At least one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze will be available when they are on the clock at No. 5.
However, they are also in a potentially prime spot to trade down the board and gather some picks if the Cardinals elect to take a receiver with the fourth pick.
That would allow the Chargers to move down the board and potentially still pick up an offensive tackle.
If that's the case, JC Latham would be a great fit. Drafting the right tackle would set the kind of tone the Chargers are looking for. The 6'6", 342-pound tackle is a mauling, physical presence. Slotting him beside 6'4", 325-pound Jamaree Salyer would create a monstrous tandem opposite Rashawn Slater and Zion Johnson.
Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu are obviously candidates for the Chargers as well, but Latham is already adept on the right side and brings a different kind of physicality. B/R scout Brandon Thorn noted the strength Latham plays with: "Combining excellent size with easy power and strength, Latham creates instant displacement on double-teams and down blocks with the ability to climb and blot out backers to pave massive lanes."
That's a Harbaugh player and a building block for an elite offensive line.
CB Quinyon Mitchell to the Denver Broncos
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There's a lot of focus on the Denver Broncos coming away from the draft with a quarterback. But if there's an early run on them and the Broncos don't have a high-enough grade to draft one in the first round, they could look to go another direction.
The ability to create a duo of shutdown cornerbacks with Patrick Surtain II and Quinyon Mitchell should be enticing.
Surtain has established himself as one of the premier young corners in the game. Just three seasons into his career, he already has an All-Pro nod with seven interceptions and 36 passes defended.
However, the Broncos secondary as a whole was weak last season. The unit gave up the third-highest passer rating in the league and made it too easy to simply avoid throwing it Surtain's way.
Mitchell would change that dynamic. He's the top-rated cornerback on our big board and allowed only 27 receptions on 62 targets with no touchdowns in coverage last season, per PFF.
Sean Payton needs a quarterback to mold, but he is also used to having a strong pair of cornerbacks on defense. The Saints generally had good corners to pair with Marshon Lattimore during his tenure in the Bayou.
Giving Surtain a running mate could be a foundational aspect of Denver's defense and the beginning of an elite secondary.
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DT Byron Murphy II to the Seattle Seahawks
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There's already a lot of reason to get excited about the Seattle Seahawks defensive front going into 2024.
They hired Mike Macdonald to replace Pete Carroll as head coach. Macdonald is fresh off playing architect to a Baltimore Ravens defense that led the league with 60 sacks.
Seattle has some interesting pieces already in place. The defense was ninth in pressure percentage last season. Boye Mafe had his best season to date with nine sacks. Uchenna Nwosu suffered a pectoral injury that limited him to six games, but he had 9.5 sacks in 2022.
The Seahawks traded for Leonard Williams during the 2023 season and he's now playing on a three-year, $64.5 million extension. That was in addition to signing Dre'Mont Jones and Jarran Reed last offseason. That duo combined for 11.5 sacks last season.
Adding Byron Murphy II would give the Seahawks one of the deepest interior defensive line rotations in the league and free up their edge-rushers to reach their potential.
Murphy is a penetrating defensive tackle who overcomes his lack of stature at 6'1", 297 pounds with elite athleticism and an electric get-off. As Matt Holder noted in his scouting report, Murphy is a relatively versatile defender, playing all over the line for Texas.
Putting him with a defensive mind like Macdonald among a solid group of veteran defensive linemen and the Seahawks could push their defensive front toward the top of the league.
WR Malik Nabers to the Atlanta Falcons
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This is a scenario that comes directly from the mock draft that the B/R scouting department put together at the beginning of the month.
Most mock drafts have the Atlanta Falcons taking a defensive player with their first pick. The Falcons have needs at two of the premium positions on defense and are in good territory to land Dallas Turner, Jared Verse, Quinyon Mitchell or Terrion Arnold.
But Malik Nabers is the kind of talent that would change the ceiling of the Falcons offense.
The Falcons already have two top-10 picks among their group of pass-catchers. Both Drake London (6'4", 213 pounds) and Kyle Pitts (6'6", 246 pounds) are big-bodied ball-catchers with wide catch radiuses and the ability to win in contested-catch situations.
Nabers would bring next-level explosiveness and route running to the mix. B/R scout Derrik Klassen is a fan of Nabers' ability to instantly contribute as a YAC weapon: "His combination of speed, quickness and yards-after-the-catch skills will translate into explosive plays right away. Nabers can be a twitchy, field-stretching Z from day one with the potential to grow into a more well-rounded player."
With Kirk Cousins at quarterback and a new coaching staff looking to actually utilize Pitts as a receiver, the Falcons would boast one of the most promising trios in the league. London, Pitts and Nabers would all be under 24 years old.
EDGE Jared Verse to the Chicago Bears
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Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus made his name as a defensive coordinator. There will be a lot of attention paid to presumptive No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, but the coach could get in touch with his defensive roots with the ninth pick.
The Bears already made an aggressive move to address their pass rush by trading for and paying Montez Sweat. They gave up a second-round pick in this draft for the 27-year-old before handing him a four-year, $98 million contract.
They could double down on that commitment to get after the quarterback by using the ninth pick on Jared Verse. The Florida State alum is the B/R Scouting Department's top edge-rusher, No. 1 overall defender and earned the superlative of "best power-rusher."
B/R scout Matt Holder not only praises the pass-rush arsenal that helped him rack up nine sacks in his final collegiate season, but also points out his ability to set the edge against the run:
"The Seminole is also a plus run defender with his physicality at the point of attack and ability to get off blocks. He has pop in his hands to stand up offensive linemen at the line of scrimmage and gain a leverage advantage, making him hard to move one-on-one and block with tight ends."
That makes him a little different player than Montez Sweat, who is a little more speed-oriented in his approach to the position.
By pairing Verse with Sweat, the Bears would have the foundation for a formidable pass rush. Adding a few veterans over the next season or two would allow Eberflus to enjoy an attacking front four that carries the defense.
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