So Sad: Miami Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel Has Been Issue Due To….
Although a record 23 offensive players were selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, that doesn’t mean the class lacks defensive star power.
Here are 10 defensive rookies who will have the greatest impact this season.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner | Rd, 1, 17th overall pick
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell couldn’t contain his excitement when Minnesota traded up from No. 23 to select Turner, and for good reason. In 14 games in 2023, the Alabama standout and SEC Defensive Player of the Year had 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.
Former Minnesota pass-rusher Danielle Hunter signed a two-year, $49M deal with the Houston Texans in free agency. Turner may be an excellent replacement for the four-time Pro Bowler.
As of Thursday, FanDuel gives him the best Defensive Rookie of the Year odds (+500).
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu | Rd, 1, 15th overall pick
General manager Chris Ballard told the media the Colts “got the best defensive player in the draft” in Latu. He may be right.
In 12 games at UCLA in 2023, the first-team All-American led the FBS in tackles for loss (22) and tied for fourth in sacks (13). NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein’s comp for Latu is six-time Pro Bowler T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II | Rd. 1, 16th overall pick
Murphy — listed at 6-foot-1 and 297 pounds — is an exceptional athlete. Per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, the Texas DT clocked a top speed of 18 mph and posted a team-best 455-pound front squat in 2023.
In 14 games, Pro Football Focus gave him a 91.1 grade, the second best at his position. He also had five sacks and 8.5 TFLs.
Ravens Pro Bowl DT Justin Madubuike became a star while new Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald served as Baltimore DC (2022-23). Murphy may have more upside than former third-round pick Madubuike, so he should thrive under Macdonald.
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell | Rd. 1, 22nd overall pick
During Bleacher Report’s live stream of the draft, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons said after Philadelphia picked Mitchell, “I’m utterly disgusted by how lucky the Eagles are.”
In three seasons at Toledo, Mitchell set a school record in pass breakups (46), per NFL.com’s Chad Reuter. Clearly, he could bolster Philadelphia’s weak secondary. Last season, the Eagles ranked second to last in the league in passing yards allowed (252.7).
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold | Rd. 1, 24th overall pick
Per AL.com, recently retired Alabama HC Nick Saban called Arnold “a special guy” and claimed the former Crimson Tide star has all the skills an NFL cornerback needs.
Detroit fans should trust Saban. In 2023, the Lions took safety Brian Branch, a second-round pick out of Alabama. In 15 games last season, he led the team in passes defended (13). Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted that, like Arnold, many felt Branch was Saban’s favorite prospect.
Arnold was one reason Alabama made the College Football Playoff in 2023. In 14 games, he had five interceptions and allowed a below-average 50.7 passer rating in coverage, per PFF.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Chop Robinson | Rd. 1, 21st overall pick
Zierlein believes Robinson has athleticism similar to Parsons and Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year. At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-3, 254-pounder ran a 4.48 40-yard dash.
Robinson only recorded 11.5 sacks in three seasons at Penn State and Maryland. However, he consistently generates pressure, mitigating this concern. Per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, he had the FBS’ sixth-highest pressure rate (18 percent) last season.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper | Rd. 2, 45th overall pick
Cooper was widely considered the No. 1 LB in this draft class. In 12 games last season, the 2023 first-team All-American led Texas A&M in tackles (84) and sacks (eight).
This offseason, the Packers released former first-team All-Pro LB De’Vondre Campbell. Consequently, Cooper should receive a ton of playing time and become a high-impact player. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky pointed out he’s “tailor-made for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.”
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson | Rd. 3, 98th overall pick
The Steelers took a flier on Wilson, who has injury concerns. Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, he has a lingering left shoulder issue due to a poor operation. Plus, he doesn’t have an ACL in one of his knees after suffering two tears.
Still, if he stays healthy, Wilson could excel. In 12 games at North Carolina State in 2023, he had 138 tackles and won the Butkus Award, given to the best LB in college football.
Washington Commanders DT Jer’Zhan Newton | Rd. 2, 36th overall pick
Newton should give Washington’s defense the help it desperately needs. Last season, the Commanders dealt Pro Bowl DE Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears and thus finished 30th in the league in pressures (111).
Per The Athletic’s Ben Standig and Larry Holder, Netwon tallied 103 pressures over the past two seasons at Illinois, the most among FBS interior D-lineman during that span. In 2023, he was a finalist for Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the best defensive player in college football.
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske | Rd. 2. 39th overall pick)
In March, Rams DT Aaron Donald — a 10-time Pro Bowler — retired.
Fiske may not become a Hall of Famer as Donald surely will, but he could emerge as a solid replacement for the former Ram.
Fiske ran a 4.78 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, the best time among defensive tackles. In five seasons at Western Michigan and Florida State, Fiske had 36 TFLs and 19.5 sacks.
L.A. traded the 52nd overall pick to the Carolina Panthers to move up and take Fiske. Following the draft, HC Sean McVay said the Rams were willing to do “whatever” they could to move up and draft him.
