The 2024 NFL Draft is just around the corner and this year’s Scouting Combine helped identify fast-rising prospects and generated some serious hype for day-two players. The NFL Draft is full of talented prospects and starters could be found after the first round. It’s the same in 2024 as the second-round is set to have plenty of day-one starters.
2024 NFL Draft Steals to Bet On
Ladd McConkey
Every year, scouts fall in love with those gritty slot receivers and this year, that player is Ladd McConkey. NFL Draft Odds currently have McConkey going early in the second round with his consensus ranking around 38th overall.
McConkey was a three-year starter for the Georgia Bulldogs and was integral to the program’s back-to-back CFP National Championship. In those three years, McConkey tallied 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns off of 119 receptions in 39 games. While he may not have the career counting stats of some of the first-round receivers, McConkey wowed with his film as well has his Combine performance.
In the slot, McConkey will be a fantastic addition for any team. He’s incredibly quick off the ball and has precise route running. He’s adept at figuring out coverages and finding the soft spots in the zone. Plain and simple, McConkey will be among the biggest NFL Draft steals, not just in the second round.
Kingsley Suimataia
In a deep tackls class, passing on the top-end players to punt the selection to the second round could play dividends for a team at the top of the draft. Kingley Suimataia was a two-year starter for the BYU Cougars and racked up 22 appearances.
In those 22 games, Suimataia played his first 11 games as a right tackle and the final 11 at left tackle. NFL teams are going to love his positional flexibility. Players shoot up draft boards with this flexibility. Overall, he allowed a total of two sacks in 1,276 snaps.
Suimataia is an athletic freak. He’s six-foot-five, 326-pound “dancing bear”, according to scouts. He has great burst off the snap and can get to the second level with ease. His aforementioned positional flexibility is a massive plus. Additionally, he has plus-level footwork and will be able to get to the NFL as a day-one starter.
T’Vondre Sweat
If there’s a word to describe the defensive tackle from Texas, it’s “BIG”. T’Vondre Sweat earned First-Team All-American honors to go with his Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Lobardi Awards in 2023. He’s an older prospect with five years with the Longhorns. But in that time, Sweat amassed 127 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and 13 pass deflections.
Sweat is a massive run-stopping force and is going to be able to step right in and dominate at the NFL level. At six-foot-five and 366 pounds, Sweat has undeniable size that will both have teams drooling over his ability to gum up the middle of the defensive line all while falling down some boards for being among the heaviest at his position in history.
Offensive lines struggled when they tried moving Sweat. And they often failed. He’s a classic run-stopping nose tackle who could find himself racking up a sack or two. Despite his size, Sweat has a relentless motor and doesn’t quit when taken out of the play. One of his best qualities is his ability to get off the snap. Assuming no conditioning issues, Sweat is going to be every bit the force that D.J. Reader and Vita Vea has been. He stood out for us as one of the best potential NFL Draft steals.
Ja’Tavion Sanders
Finally, Sweat’s teammate, Ta’Tavion Sanders, has started to make a name for himself. Sanders was a five-star recruit and exploded on the scene over the last two years. In 26 games, Sanders amassed 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns off of 99 receptions. If there’s an NFL team who wants an athletic tight end with some size, Sanders is the pick.
While Brock Bowers is the consensus, unanimous TE1 in the class, there is a growing feeling that the game between Bowers and Sanders is not as wide as previously believed. Sanders is a fantastic receiver who can use his size to his advantage. He can find the soft spots in the zone, turn up field, and get a chunk of YAC yardage. Another strength of his is his blocking ability. While some tight ends can be elite receivers, being able to block is still a crucial element.
Sanders has the potential to have a year-one impact like Sam LaPorta did. He’s every bit the receiver that Kyle Pitts was as a prospect. Getting a starter and playmaker like this in round two will rocket a team into contention, if they weren’t already. He’s definitely on our list of potential NFL Draft steals.