2024 NFL Draft Feature: My Guys on Defense
Below are my favorite defensive players in the 2024 NFL Draft and why I like them so much
It’s time for me to lock in for my final predictive 2024 NFL Draft top 100 big board and first round mock draft. But before I go without sleep over the next few days as I agonize over Monti Ossenfort trade down calls, Jim Harbaugh’s and Greg Roman’s run vs. pass tendencies, and what name will have Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes shouting celebratory expletives this year, I want to touch on some of “my guys” on the defensive side of the ball in this draft class.
We’re going to be focusing solely on Day 2 and Day 3 prospects in the actual sections of this article, so I wanted to touch on some Day 1 guys I really enjoyed watching.
There’s really no substitute for getting to meet some of these prospects in person. It gives you a whole new perspective on their builds and personalities. I got to speak with UCLA’s Laiatu Latu at the players’ hotel at the Senior Bowl for maybe ten minutes or so and was blown away. The technical way he approaches his rush plan on the field reflects his mental approach to the game and high football IQ. I just wanted to mention that since this is my last chance to really geek out over 2024 prospects.
Speaking of edge rushers, I studied Jared Verse in the summer of 2022 when he was a recent Albany transfer to Florida State. That early 2022 game against LSU was legendary stuff. Even after re-evaluating him a few times, I still firmly have a top-20 grade on him. He would’ve been a top 20 player for me last year too.
For some honorable mentions, I’ll toss out Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine and Wake Forest’s Caelen Carson. I haven’t been too bullish on either this cycle, but I gave Abrams-Draine a late second to early third round eval last June, and I think he justified that grade this year. Carson received a lower grade over the summer, but I think it would be a mistake for him to drop out of the top 100 as some recent folks are projecting.
Other defensive prospects I’ve enjoyed this process but didn’t write up today include Kansas State’s Khalid Duke, Charlotte’s Eyabi Okie-Anoma, Arkansas’ Dwight McGlothern, Tulane’s Jarius Monroe, Oregon State’s Kitan Oladapo, and Oregon’s Evan Williams.
Note: After each player discussed in this article, I include the grade I gave the prospect and where I project they’ll actually go in the draft.
My Guys on Defense: Day 2
Michael Hall Jr., IDL Ohio State
When I first evaluated Hall over the summer, I thought he had the chance to develop into a first round pick. All he needed were snaps. A lot of snaps. He proceeded to only play 413 defensive snaps in 2023, bringing his career total to just 714. There’s a ton of meat left on the bone for Hall once he reaches the NFL, but his new team will need to be patient as he develops.
Hall is an undersized interior rusher who projects as a 3-tech, but he has the athleticism and fluidity to play further outside. He explodes off the line of scrimmage with an excellent first step and uses his rapid and twitchy upper half to launch spins, chops, swims, and club-swims. Hall also has the lateral agility to exchange gaps quickly and be a shifty target for linemen to pin down.
Hall dominated in one-on-one pass rush scenarios at the Senior Bowl. While he makes plays against the run as a penetrating lineman, he lacks the traditional size to anchor along the interior and hold the point of attack, especially against double teams. His hand usage and timing need to improve to protect his frame and keep blockers out of his pads.
Grade: Early Second Round
Projected Draft Position: Second Round
Mike Sainristil, NB Michigan
Sainristil debuted at No. 67 on my top 100 big board last May. He’s only climbed the ranks since then thanks to his incredible competitive toughness. The former wide receiver has an agile and loose lower body to mirror releases. He also has the speed and explosiveness to stay attached vertically and the short-area quickness and anticipation to jump routes for big plays.
Sainristil’s instincts and football IQ are unreal for a prospect with only two years of defensive experience in college. His quick trigger helps him make plays from zone, and his processing guides him through complex route releases. The drawback with Sainristil is that he’s only 5'9 1/2" and 182 lbs. with 30 7/8" arms.
Despite his limited frame, Sainristil is a regular contributor in run defense, blows up wide receiver screens, and isn’t afraid to lay the boom on larger players. He does occasionally give up big plays, but the positives tend to outweigh the negatives for the former Michigan team captain.
Grade: Second Round
Projected Draft Position: Late Second/Early Third Round
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB Clemson
Trotter is small, even for a modern linebacker. He’s 6'0", 228 lbs. with 31 1/2" arms. That’s generally not a good combination, but Trotter wasn’t just handed All-American selections in each of the past two years. He has better linear speed than he’s given credit for and displays good lateral agility to cover multiple gaps or duck around blockers to meet the ball carrier.
Trotter’s motor burns red hot, which helps him make plays in pursuit, even if he lacks sideline-to-sideline range. He doesn’t have the arm length to stack and deconstruct blocks, but he’s great at attacking the offensive lineman’s chest on first contact to create separation for himself. Trotter also has the balance to take on blocks without being overwhelmed.
Trotter’s run fits can still be hit or miss some games, but he showed significant improvement from 2022 to 2023. He often bailed out Clemson at the second level by making instinctive plays, especially against the run. Trotter was the fixer who found ways to make bad situations alright for the Tigers.
Trotter lacks the athletic traits for man coverage, but he’s a smart, instinctive zone defender who has the ball production to prove it. He’s also a fantastic blitzer who uses his combination of balance, body control, and timing to find lanes to the quarterback.
Grade: Early Third Round
Projected Draft Position: Fourth Round
Marshawn Kneeland, Edge Western Michigan
The first thing you need to know about Kneeland is that Western Michigan did nothing to develop his pass rush plan. He’s a pretty clean slate in that area, primarily relying on converting speed to power, long-arms, swims, club-swims, and working a few basic counters off bull rushes. Kneeland needs to expand this rush plan and develop more hand counters.
Now let’s take a look at the positive parts of Kneeland’s game. He’s 6'3", 267 lbs., making him one of the larger edge rushers in this class. At that size, he can play in a two or three-point stance and is a high-level run defender. He displaces one-on-one blockers in the run game and easily separates from blocks to chase down the ball carrier. Did I mention he has 34 1/2" arms, an 83 3/8" wingspan, and 10" hands?
On top of his pure size, Kneeland is a really good athlete. He ran a 4.75 40-yard dash and 7.02 three-cone at the NFL Combine and showcased his explosiveness in the jumps. Kneeland’s closing burst, leg drive, heavy hands, and dip are all impressive. He has the burst to challenge tackles vertically and is smart enough to make that vertical push before countering into the B-gap.
Grade: Second Round
Projected Draft Position: Second Round
Gabriel Murphy, Edge UCLA
Laiatu Latu’s success at UCLA somewhat obscured how successful the Murphy twins were. Gabriel was particularly successful, producing pressure on 17.18% of his pass rush attempts. Two significant obstacles stand in Murphy’s way as a prospect. First, he has historically poor measurables with just 30 1/2" arms and a 75" wingspan, which puts even more stress on his 6' 2 3/8", 247 lb. frame.
Second, Murphy deals with some hip stiffness that limits his bend. Those two limiting factors prevent Murphy from being a superstar pass rusher and make it difficult for him to anchor at the point of attack against the run. Fortunately, the UCLA product is an explosive athlete who uses his speed to win up the arc and flashes good closing burst.
On top of the burst and speed, Murphy’s upper body is very twitchy. His quick and violent hands often make you forget he’s working with 30 1/2" arms. Like Latu, Murphy is very technically advanced in his rush plan and hand usage. He has powerful clubs, extremely polished swims, club-swims, rips, club-rips, and cross-chops at his disposal. This made him a nightmare for guards and centers when UCLA lined him up in a two-point stance over interior offensive linemen.
Effective hand placement and impressive core strength reinforce Murphy’s rush plan and give him upside in the run game. He often slips past blocks thanks to his twitchy upper half and hand feints. It becomes a problem if linemen get into Murphy’s pads, but that’s a big if. He and his brother, Grayson, had stretches of total dominance in the one-on-ones and team drills at the Shrine Bowl.
Grade: Third Round
Projected Draft Position: Fourth Round
Max Melton, CB Rutgers
Some hypothesize that Melton will move into the slot full-time because of his 5'11", 187 lb. frame. While he has experience playing inside, Melton primarily played outside at Rutgers and boasts the arm length (32 1/8"), football IQ, explosiveness, speed, and aggression to stick outside in the NFL.
Melton’s footwork and backpedal still need to be refined to prevent early or awkward transitions, but the New Jersey native has fluid hips and quick feet to quickly recover from early mistakes. His speed allows him to carry receivers vertically out of press coverage, but he really shines when allowed to key on the quarterback in zone.
Melton quickly triggers from zone on short throws and reads the quarterback’s eyes to set up potential interceptions. His ball tracking, vertical leap, and physicality make him a force to be reckoned with at the catch point. He’s also quick to sniff out and blow up wide receiver screens.
Melton does the little things well. He’s an excellent contributor on multiple special teams units, flies downhill to support in run defense, displays his motor in pursuit, and battles through or slips blocks. There aren’t many multi-phase contributors with Melton’s athleticism and versatility.
Grade: Second Round
Projected Draft Position: Third Round
My Guys on Defense: Day 3
Jarrian Jones, NB Florida State
Jones is a good height (5'11 7/8") but lean (190 lbs.) with just 30" arms. He’s also one of the fastest and most explosive defensive backs in the class. Originally an outside cornerback, Jones kicked into the slot in 2023. He has quick feet and the speed to recover or stay attached to routes in man coverage. The former Mississippi State transfer matches route tempo on outside releases and presses receives into the sideline mid-route.
Jones is even better in zone coverage. When he doesn’t have to worry about mirroring the receiver as much, Jones lets his instincts and play recognition skills run wild. He has the closing burst to undercut routes for interceptions and plays the receiver’s hands well. Jones also shows effort in run defense but doesn’t always have the play strength to separate from blocks or finish tackles.
At worst, Jones is a special teams ace with significant experience playing both in the slot and out wide. At best, he’s a team’s primary slot defender who bumps outside occasionally.
Grade: Fourth Round
Projected Draft Position: Late Fourth/Early Fifth Round
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S Texas Tech
When I was initially breaking down my report on Taylor-Demerson on The Draft Report podcast with Jack Borowsky, I came in about a round lower than some of the evaluations I’ve seen recently. That didn’t mean I disliked Taylor-Demerson’s film, I just wasn’t sure if he would test well enough to overcome his short-armed, 5'10 3/8", 197 lb. frame. He proceeded to crush the speed and explosive testing, putting him squarely in the top 120 conversation.
Taylor-Demerson, who began his college career as a running back, is an agile, loose defensive back with experience lining up all over the formation. You might not want him too close to the line of scrimmage at his size, but that’s fine because he possesses near true sideline-to-sideline range to operate in deep zones.
Taylor-Demerson is at his best in zone coverage, where his closing burst and instincts shine. He still falls for eye manipulation more often than is ideal, but he’s very coachable and has shown the ability to improve by leaps and bounds. Despite his size, Taylor-Demerson is a willing contributor in run defense and a stud at the catch point. His motor and physicality are a joy to watch.
Grade: Fourth Round
Projected Draft Position: Fourth Round
Nelson Ceaser, Edge Houston
Ceaser is far from the biggest pass rusher in the draft, but he checks the boxes at 254 lbs. with 33 5/8" arms. At that size, he’s able to explode off the line of scrimmage and get into his pass rush plan, which includes long-arms, rips, cross-chops, double-handed swipes, speed rushes, and various combinations and counters of the aforementioned moves.
Ceaser lacks elite bend but he has enough ankle and lower body flexibility to shorten his rush angle to the quarterback. He’s less proficient in the run game, where his lack of mass and average arm length sometimes cause him issues holding the point of attack or setting the edge. Fortunately, his upper body activity helps him shed blocks, and his high motor play results in tackles in pursuit.
Grade: Fourth Round
Projected Draft Position: Late Fourth/Early Fifth Round
M.J. Devonshire, CB Pittsburgh
I gave Devonshire a third round grade over the summer and hoped he could build on it during the 2023 season. That didn’t exactly happen, and the media and league were lower on him from the jump. His balance, footwork, and transitions get sloppy, which are key reasons why he’s a Day 3 prospect. However, he also has some nice physical tools.
Devonshire has 32 7/8" arms and a 78 3/4" wingspan, both of which are in the 90th percentile or higher for cornerbacks. He also has just enough speed to get by and above-average athleticism in his lower body. Devonshire excels at reading the quarterback out of zone but breaks out the physicality to press and disrupt larger receivers.
Grade: Late Fourth/Early Fifth Round
Projected Draft Position: Sixth Round
Xavier Thomas, Edge Clemson
Thomas is shorter, smaller, and more short-limbed than most ideal pass rushers in the NFL, but he’s so explosive off the line. Thomas cooked offensive linemen at the Shrine Bowl with his motor, speed, and bend. He’s not an every-down player, but athletes of his caliber are hard to find. Thomas should get the chance to contribute on clear passing downs as a designated pass rusher.
Thomas is an older prospect. The former five-star recruit spent six years at Clemson after injuries and illness derailed two seasons. When healthy in 2021 and 2023, Thomas applied pressure on 14.1% and 14.7% of his pass rush attempts, respectively. He’s got NFL-caliber juice. He just needs a chance to show it off.
Grade: Fifth Round
Projected Draft Position: Sixth Round