The 2024 NFL Draft featured a run on quarterbacks and elite offensive tackles at the top of the board, which pushed several top prospects into the bottom half of the first round, and there remains significant talent available ahead of the second round getting underway.
Here’s a look at the top-10 prospects still available ahead of Day 2 of the NFL Draft:
Best Remaining Prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft
1. Cooper Dejean, CB, Iowa
DeJean had a strong case as the top cornerback in this NFL Draft class, prior to the draft, and he might be the most versatile. A plug-and-play starter on the perimeter with the ability to play the slot or even line up at safety in some packages, Pro Football Focus points out that opposing quarterbacks produced a meager 37.8 passer rating when targeting him during the 10 games he was healthy for last season.
2. Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
Newton is a wrecking ball of a disruptive force along the interior defensive line and is one of the premier defensive tackles in this year’s class. Last season, Newton produced a career-high 8.5 sacks and a strong 15.4 pass-rush win rate.
3. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Mitchell is a legitimate deep-threat with game-altering speed, capable of taking the top off opposing secondaries. Averaging a healthy 15.4 yards per reception average, Mitchell only dropped one pass last season, prior to running a blistering 4.34 forty at the NFL Combine.
4. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
McKinstry is among the most instinctual cornerbacks in a loaded NFL Draft class at the position. A playmaker and gambler in coverage, McKinstry forced 10 interceptions, according to Pro Football Focus, while holding opposing quarterbacks to a paltry 73.1 passer rating when throwing his direction.
5. Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
Arguably the smoothest route runner among this year’s incoming receivers, McConkey was a focal point of Georgia’s vertical passing game, averaging a career-high 16.1 yards per reception in 2023 with an average depth of target of 12.2 yards.
6. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
An absolute mauler up front, there’s barely an ounce of finesse in Powers-Johnson’s game, and he has the consistency to anchor an offensive line. Powers-Johnson is a stonewall in pass-protection and didn’t surrender a single sack across three collegiate seasons in Eugene.
7. Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
If Jonathon Brooks were fully healthy, there’s little doubt he’d have been a top-20 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and is the runaway premier running back in this class. A decisive and agile runner, Brooks averaged a whopping 6.1 yards per carry last season while forcing 63 missed tackles and logging 732 of his 1,135 yards after contact.
8. Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
A naturally athletically gifted offensive tackle, Fisher excels at pulling as a lead-blocker in the running game and more than holds his own in pass protection. Pro Football Focus gives the former Notre Dame standout a strong 72.5 pass-protection grade and 71.1 overall mark for the 2023 campaign.
9 Adisa Isaac, EDGE, Penn State
An explosive presence off the edge, Adisa Isaac may have been overshadowed by the flashy athleticism of Chop Robinson. But, Isaac is as technically sound a pass rusher as there is in this class. During four seasons in Happy Valley, Isaac posted 14.5 sacks with 31.5 tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus points out Isaac logged an elite 13.0 pass-rush win rate and an equally stout 11.4 run-stop win rate.
10. Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
Lassiter is the type of lockdown cornerback that defensive coordinators would feel comfortable putting on an island. As Pro Football Focus points out, Lassiter held opposing quarterbacks to a meager 48.7 passer rating last season while forcing 10 incompletions and allowing just 15 catches on 39 targets.
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