Are these the biggest steals of the 2024 NFL Draft?

Every year the NFL Draft throws up some surprises, with players falling through the cracks for reasons we often don’t hear about for years to come. Let’s take a look at the biggest steals from the 2024 NFL Draft in no particular order!

Pro Football Focus had DeJean as a top-10 prospect on their big board, so to see him fall to the Eagles at 40 (following a trade-up) was a shock. The Eagles, and Howie Roseman, are never afraid of swinging big for ‘their guys’ and this looks like another cany bit of business by the Birds.

NFL Network, ESPN, and CBS Sports were all mocking Arnold in the 10-15 range before the draft, so for him to slip to 24 was a shock. A versatile defensive back, he should make an instant impact on the Lions’ secondary.

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We didn’t love Franklin as a prospect and thought the mocks suggesting he would be picked in the first round overrated his value. With that being said, selecting him at 102 overall is a steal, especially when you pair him with his college QB Bo Nix.

We are cribbing a little from PFF here, as we hadn’t thought of a top 10 selection as a steal before reading their explanation. However, considering the talent he has, his slipping to number nine overall could be a brilliant piece of work by the Bears’ front office.

Per the Fayetteville Observer, Wilson has already undergone 10 surgeries, which could explain his dramatic slide to late in the third round. Wilson was a monster last year, picking up 138 tackles and six sacks per USA Today, Steelers fans will love him.

Rarely do we see 6’2” 200+ lbs wide receivers running 4.34 40-yard dashes, even rarer still is to see a player with that profile slip to number 52 in the draft. As Reggie Wayne said after the pick, “We just got better. ... That's a steal.”

We haven’t had it cleared up why Jer’Zhan became Johnny during the draft process, but either way, the Commanders may have found a stud in the former Illinois defensive tackle. PFF ranked him 11 on their big board, which is higher than most, but to select him in the second round is a huge steal.

We liked JPJ during the pre-draft process, seeing him as a big center or a solid guard prospect who could well be taken at the back end of the first round. However, with the rise of Graham Barton, JPJ slipped to pick 44 to the Raiders, who may have solidified their interior offensive line for years to come.

Trot Jr. may not have the hulking size of his old man, but his college production was significant. In 2023 alone he had 88 tackles, 15 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, and 2 picks, per ESPN. During the early stages of the draft process, the Clemson linebacker was seen as a second-round selection, so to grab him in the fifth is great value for the Eagles.

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Per Pro Football Network, Washington was a top-75 prospect on their board, the Dolphins were able to select him with the 184th pick. Washington caught 110 passes for 1,426 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023, per PFN, which is incredible production.

Per Sports Illustrated, Christian Mahogany was a consensus top-100 prospect, instead he fell to pick 210. There is some speculation from SI that one issue that caused him to fall is his unequal leg length..?

Sanders is a small, movable tight-end who offers far more in the receiving game than with his run-blocking, who Bleacher Report had a third-round grade on. Admittedly, he only slipped to the fourth round, which seems low for a player averaging over 15 YPC in 2023.

NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein graded Booker out a third-round prospect, making the Bears’ decision to trade in the fifth round to select him a cany one. His 4.79 40-yard was off-putting to some, it seems, but there’s a talented player there.

Dorlus was seen by many as a second-round pick who needs some NFL coaching to get the best of his body. The Falcons were able to select him in the fourth round, which is great value for a player USA Today describes as a “wrecking-ball.”

In time, we will better understand the reaches and steals from the 2024 NFL Draft, but are we missing any from this gallery?

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