The NFL Draft is essentially a crapshoot. Several dozen sure things will turn out to be busts, and even more will never set foot on an NFL field, for every player chosen who goes on to become a star.
It could seem cruel to evaluate a team’s draft just hours after it has concluded in light of those conditions. But occasionally, it’s impossible to ignore how seriously certain people make mistakes.
In light of that, the following five teams mishandled the 2024 NFL Draft.
Atlanta Falcons: This was inevitable. Even though the Falcons just inked veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $140 million contract, their first-round selection of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., No. 8 overall, may have been the most talked-about pick in the 2024 draft. Worse, general manager Terry Fontenot stated that the former Huskie might not start for “three or four years,” a possibility he was content to see come to pass. Bravo to the general manager for landing a player he trusts, but maybe it wasn’t the best course of action if you have to draft that player in the top 10 before acknowledging he’ll be a backup for the near future.
Buffalo Bills: It should come as no surprise that the Bills selected FSU’s Keon Coleman in the second round (with pick No. 33) of the 2024 NFL Draft, giving quarterback Josh Allen a much-needed wide receiver. But they passed up on more experienced players, such as Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, the quickest player in NFL Combine ever, who the Chiefs of Kansas City selected after trading down from No. 28. In any case, Coleman, who set a record for the second-slowest 40-yard dash time in Indianapolis, will probably start at number one in Buffalo right away. “There’s no trade coming,” general manager Brandon Beane stated on Sunday in reference to one of the several proven pass-catchers who might be available.
It would seem that the Bills, as an AFC contender, would want to acquire as much elite talent as possible in the draft, but they chose not to do so. Instead, their roster isn’t all that better than it was at the beginning of the week, despite oddly ignoring the elite talent of a mediocre draft class.
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers utilized their first two draft selections on offensive players in order to acquire weapons for their young quarterback, Bryce Young. They might have, nevertheless, reached on both choices.
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Xavier Legette (No. 32), a late bloomer wide receiver who really only made an impact as a redshirt senior at South Carolina after spending his first four seasons with the Gamecocks mostly on special teams, was selected by Carolina after they traded back in the first round. Then, in the second round, they traded up to remove Texas’ Jonathan Brooks (No. 46), the first running back off the board. Although he doesn’t play a premium position and is recovering from an ACL tear sustained in 2023, the former Longhorn may be able to fill a need. Not exactly the ideal deal for a squad that finished with a 2–14 record.
Denver Broncos: Seeking their quarterback of the future, the Broncos appeared to reach for Bo Nix at No. 12 after all the best signal-callers were selected. Although he was the sixth quarterback selected, as many had anticipated, it’s reasonable to argue that Denver might have selected him much later given that Spencer Rattler of South Carolina was the next player selected at the position, going undrafted until the fifth round.
While it’s commendable to be adamant about grabbing the player of your choice, the Broncos’ decision to take Nix seems like an overly cautious move at best and a grave error at worst. Given that Denver only possessed two selections among the top 100 picks, a trade-down to acquire assets while still selecting their quarterback would have been the best course of action.
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers had limited options because they didn’t choose until the 31st pick of the first round. Nevertheless, they made a number of odd choices early on in the draft. They selected Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall with their first-round pick. Even though Pearsall might develop into a potent professional, many projected him to be a second-round selection at most and outside the top 10 at his position. He was the sixth receiver taken off the board, though, thanks to San Francisco. Then, in the second round, they made a trade-back to choose cornerback Renardo Green, who was projected by some analysts to go somewhere in the third or fourth round. In addition, they passed on other choices in the third round before picking Dominick Puni at No. 86 to address the offensive line, the team’s primary need.
