The 2024 NFL Draft is over, and now all 257 picks begin the process of settling in with their new teams and preparing for rookie camp next month.
In the meantime, we asked The Athletic’s NFL beat writers to share their favorite pick their team made during the three-day draft. “Favorite” doesn’t necessarily mean “best” — though in some cases, it’s one and the same. And while some writers did choose first-round picks, plenty of players drafted well below the superstars are cited here for reasons that go beyond on-field performance.
See what appealed to our writers about these players, with one pick for every team.
The best move GM Monti Ossenfort made in this draft was keeping the No. 4 pick and drafting Harrison, who is exactly what Arizona needed. He gives the Cardinals a dynamic playmaker who can help bring out the best in QB Kyler Murray. And he gives an organization that has made the playoffs once in the last eight years some star power. Along with fellow first-round pick Darius Robinson, Harrison on Friday night attended the Suns-Timberwolves NBA playoff game. When the two were shown on the videoboard, they received some of the loudest cheers of the night. Folks here are ready to see what Harrison can do. — Doug Haller | More on Harrison
The happiest person after this draft was probably Bertrand’s mother. “My mom was saying the whole week, ‘Maybe there’s a chance to be close to home,’” Bertrand said after the Falcons selected him in the fifth round. Bertrand, who led Notre Dame in tackles the last three seasons, grew up 20 miles north of Atlanta in Roswell, Ga., and played high school games in both the Georgia Dome and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. An Eagle Scout and finalist for the Campbell Trophy, college football’s academic Heisman, he also lettered in swimming in high school. — Josh Kendall | More Falcons takeaways
The Ravens certainly have a type, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. And yes, Isaac, who had a strong final season at Penn State, plays like a Raven. Isaac also grew up with three non-verbal siblings. Projected by some to be off the board by the mid-second round, Isaac fell to the Ravens late in the third. He should bring juice to a pass rush that lost Jadeveon Clowney in the offseason. Isaac has enticing pass-rushing traits and plays with an exciting combination of energy and aggression. — Jeff Zrebiec | More Ravens takeaways
The Bills’ top pick joins a depth chart in desperate need of someone with his talent level, one that Josh Allen told general manager Brandon Beane he was a fan of ahead of the draft. The receiver has an exuberant personality to go along with it. Coleman spent the first minute with reporters talking about jacket-buying strategies and when to get the best deal for each season. On top of it all, Coleman went with No. 0 as his jersey number with the Bills, which is a power move for a rookie. He will be the first player in franchise history to sport that number in an actual game. — Joe Buscaglia | More Bills takeaways
Sitting behind the South Carolina bench for a Week 0 game against North Carolina in Charlotte, N.C., it didn’t take long to notice Legette, who — with his arms bulging out of his No. 17 jersey — looked like a linebacker with receiver’s speed. Legette had a huge day against the Tar Heels, catching nine passes for 178 yards and high-pointing several of Spencer Rattler’s passes. He went on to have a big season, and now he’ll present a big — and fast — target for Bryce Young. — Joseph Person | More Panthers takeaways
How could it not be Taylor? Maybe I’m biased because I picked Taylor in a mock draft, but it doesn’t get more fun than an Australian punter like Taylor, who was such a weapon for Iowa. It also makes sense. The Bears struggled in punting last season, and the talent drop-off on Day 3 of the draft created an opportunity to take a punter in Round 4 and feel good about it. — Kevin Fishbain | More Bears takeaways
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Perhaps the most personable human to ever walk through the building after being drafted. Jenkins has been called a natural leader and perfect fit for any locker room, and he held court at Paycor Stadium with jokes and smiles. Throw in his legendarily freaky athleticism and you could see him emerging as a voice of the locker room in a few years. — Paul Dehner Jr. | More Bengals takeaways
Zinter looks like he was born to play offensive line in the NFL. He’s massive, athletic and battle-tested after four years starting at Michigan. It seems like he’ll be a starting guard for the Browns in 2025, but he also might get a shot at center and as an extra blocker in Kevin Stefanski’s heavy offensive packages. The Browns wanted a tough, nasty and interesting prospect to add to their soon-to-be evolving offensive line group, and they got that in Zinter. — Zac Jackson | More Browns takeaways
The Cowboys needed to come out of this draft with at least two offensive linemen to make up for the losses of left tackle Tyron Smith and center Tyler Biadasz. They ended up with offensive tackle Tyler Guyton in the first round and Beebe in the third. Beebe seems to be great value at pick 73. Dane Brugler ranked him 38th on his Top 300 draft board. Beebe is expected to compete for the starting center job, but he could also potentially be Zack Martin’s heir apparent at right guard. — Jon Machota | More Cowboys takeaways
The fifth round was the right time to get value at the running back position, and Estime is a fit for a Denver team that needs tougher running in the red zone. Estime, who was fourth in the FBS last season at 4.27 yards per carry after contact, should help a team that was inefficient when it reached first-and-goal. He scored 18 touchdowns at Notre Dame in 2023 and has only two years of high-volume carries in college on his legs. Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are both set to hit unrestricted free agency after next season, so there is a clear vision for Estime’s multiyear role. It was sound process for the Broncos. — Nick Kosmider | More Broncos takeaways
The Lions took Terrion Arnold at No. 24, the third year in a row they drafted an Alabama player in the first round. (Donald Page/Getty Images)
When I heard Arnold talk at the combine about getting benched against Tennessee in 2022, and how he said he’d never let it happen again, my ears perked. He calls it his “Michael Jordan moment,” referring to the story of Jordan getting benched in high school and using it as fuel for the rest of his career. It captured Arnold’s self-confidence, one of his best traits, and he did it without putting anybody else down. The Lions need players like that defensively. Arnold said he’s motivated to wear a gold jacket one day. When talent meets drive, it can be a beautiful thing — much like this pairing. — Colton Pouncy | More Lions takeaways
I like what the Packers did in selecting Bullard with their second pick in the second round. In what was widely considered a weak safety class, the Packers didn’t force the issue at perhaps their biggest position of need and waited until No. 58 to add Bullard. He will likely start alongside prized free-agent signing Xavier McKinney, though part of what made Bullard appealing to the Packers is his ability at nickel (Keisean Nixon returns as the starter there). GM Brian Gutekunst likes his safeties to be able to play both safety spots and nickel, and the team feels Bullard can do that. Bullard was asked how many secondary positions he thinks he can play and said, “I don’t think — I know I can play all three positions in the secondary.” — Matt Schneidman | More Packers takeaways
The Texans really like Stover, which is why they traded up in the fourth round to get C.J. Stroud’s former college teammate. General manager Nick Caserio called the first-team All-Big Ten tight end one of the Texans’ favorite prospects in the draft and described his work ethic as “elite.” At Ohio State, the 6-5, 255-pound Stover recorded 82 catches for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns in three seasons. He displayed great versatility and will serve Bobby Slowik’s tight end-friendly offense well. — Mike Jones | More on Stover
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Three years ago, Latu was told he’d no longer be able to play football due to a severe neck injury. Latu spent more than two years away from the game, still hoping to return while seeking a different medical opinion. When he finally got the green light to resume his career, he took full advantage. Latu parlayed two dominant seasons at UCLA into being the first defensive player selected in this year’s draft. He instantly boosts the Colts’ pass rush, and his perseverance should earn him a ton of respect in the locker room. — James Boyd | More Colts takeaways
It has to be Thomas, the Jaguars’ first-round pick who ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine and will immediately become a potent deep threat for QB Trevor Lawrence. Thomas exploded for 68 catches, 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2023 — more than doubling his totals from his previous two seasons — but there were still some inconsistencies with drops, route running and blocking. If he rounds out his game, Thomas could be a star in Jacksonville. — Jeff Howe | More on Thomas
The easy answer is wide receiver Xavier Worthy because of the allure of his rare speed. But I’m going with Suamataia, who has the potential to become the Chiefs’ long-term solution at left tackle, the player responsible for protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. Suamataia has above-average athleticism, is one of the youngest prospects in the draft (age 21) and could develop into one of the league’s best tackles during Mahomes’ prime years. The Chiefs loved Suamataia the moment they met him and Chiefs fans could grow to appreciate his energetic personality and nimble play style. — Nate Taylor | More Chiefs takeaways
Brock Bowers’ skill set was intriguing to the Raiders. (Candice Ward / USA Today)
Besides considering Bowers the most talented player remaining in the draft (he was No. 7 on Brugler’s big board), the Raiders view him as more than a traditional tight end. He played 52.2 percent of his snaps at Georgia as a slot receiver, 36.6 percent inline and 9.5 percent outside, while also lining up in the backfield as an H-back. Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy moved tight end Cole Kmet around in a similar fashion while with the Bears. Getsy will do the same with Bowers to maximize his skill set. — Tashan Reed | More Raiders takeaways
Hart’s traits are outstanding. A converted receiver, he is 6-3 with 33-inch arms. He reached a top GPS speed of 23.01 mph, according to “The Beast.” Hart was a three-year starter in college, voted a team captain in 2023, who played core-four special teams for the Fighting Irish. Finding these tools in the fifth round is great value. The knock is Hart did not have great ball production despite all that college experience. The floor for Hart is a regular special teams contributor. The ceiling is a starting outside corner who can solve matchup problems because of his size, length and speed. — Daniel Popper | More Chargers takeaways
One thing I love about Rams fans is their commitment to a bit. And these fans wanted a kicker. To be fair, the Rams also badly needed a kicker, after a multi-player disaster in 2023. So for the fans who banged the drums, my favorite pick in this draft class is the accurate, steady Karty. It helps that the Rams didn’t have to reach for him — they selected Karty at No. 209. — Jourdan Rodrigue | More Rams takeaways
Robinson is an athletic pass rusher who should benefit from working alongside big-time talents in Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Shaquil Barrett. Robinson has a high ceiling but will likely open his career as a rush specialist until he adds more power. Robinson had 9 1/2 sacks and 17 1/2 tackles for loss over his last two seasons at Penn State. — Jeff Howe | More on Robinson
Jackson won out for multiple reasons. We’ll begin with the on-field ability. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores needs a lanky, feisty, press-man corner, and Jackson is that. Add the skill set to his background — he once stopped playing football and sliced ham behind the deli counter at Harris Teeter — and you have a player who’s certain to be a fan favorite this fall. — Alec Lewis | More Vikings takeaways
If his play even comes close to matching his confidence, the Patriots found a good one in the fourth round. Baker doesn’t have eye-popping speed but can win on deep balls and make plays with the ball in his hands. The Patriots need him after ranking last in the NFL in plays of 20-plus yards last season. — Chad Graff | More Patriots takeaways
A starting offensive tackle fell smoothly into the Saints’ lap, making it easy to draft Fuaga at No. 14. Through the quarterback bonanza, tackles started flying off the board, with three taken ahead of New Orleans’ spot. Luckily for the Saints, tackle was one of the strongest groups at the top of the draft, and they knew a starting-caliber player would be there for the taking. Of course, this pick must make up for the 2022 drafting of Trevor Penning, who’s well on his way to being a bust. — Larry Holder | More on Fuaga
Johnson is the ideal Day 3 pick. The 6-6, 259-pounder has elite size, speed and athleticism. His scouting report is similar to Darren Waller’s in 2015. That’s fitting since the Giants have to be planning for Johnson to replace Waller, who is contemplating retirement. Johnson slipped to the fourth round because his college production was underwhelming, but late bloomers are common at tight end. Johnson’s traits suggest he could develop into a better pro than a college player. — Dan Duggan | More Giants takeaways
Stiggers’ backstory makes him my favorite Jets pick. He left football after his father died shortly after high school, worked odd jobs, joined a semi-pro league and then spent one season with the Toronto Argonauts before entering this year’s draft. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich nearly cried talking to Stiggers on his draft-day phone call. — Zack Rosenblatt | More Jets takeaways
Make sure you have the tissues in reach for this one.
Qwan’tez Stiggers gets the call of a lifetime 🥺💚 pic.twitter.com/dJQWi1yzVF
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 27, 2024
You’ve gotta love the fifth-round selection of Trotter, the son of former Eagles great Jeremiah Trotter Sr. Trotter is more than just a feel-good pickup because of his father’s legacy. He will make an impact in a variety of ways. He has a nose for the ball and will make plays against the run, he can get after the quarterback and also is good in coverage. He can contribute on special teams as well. — Mike Jones | More Eagles takeaways
The Steelers’ interest in Frazier was one of the worst-kept secrets in the draft process. At the Senior Bowl, we reported that the Steelers “absolutely loved” Frazier, who dominated on the wrestling mat in high school. Considering he grew up just an hour-and-a-half from Pittsburgh in Fairmont, W.Va., and could fill the most glaring hole on the roster, it felt like an obvious choice. Had the Steelers missed on Frazier, they would have been scrambling for answers. Instead, they waited until the second round and got the future anchor of the line with a great mix of value and need. — Mike DeFabo | More Steelers takeaways
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The muscle-bound Mustapha might be an instant fan favorite. He was a tackling machine at Wake Forest and wore a lot of hats in the Demon Deacons’ secondary, which suggests he’s sharp, too. Mustapha said he’s a fan of Talanoa Hufanga, and the 49ers may need him to fill in for Hufanga early on while the veteran continues to recover from his Nov. 19 ACL tear. — Matt Barrows | More 49ers takeaways
There’s a lot to like about this pick. General manager John Schneider signed a bunch of guards to one-year deals this offseason, in part because he feels players at that position are over-drafted and overpaid. While Schneider might be right about that, such a stance put pressure on him to find a starting-caliber guard in this draft. He might have succeeded with Haynes, a nice guy off the field who plays with a mean streak when the pads come on. He’s the type of interior player who has the potential to immediately upgrade the offensive line. — Michael-Shawn Dugar | More Seahawks takeaways
Let’s not overthink this one. Barton has the potential to improve the Bucs as much as any player they had a chance to take, given where they were drafting. The middle of the Bucs’ offensive line hasn’t been the same since center Ryan Jensen injured his knee and was unable to resume his career, and the Bucs have had the least-productive run game in the NFL for two straight seasons. Barton can make it better by giving Rachaad White space. Given Barton’s combination of athleticism and attitude, the Bucs were fortunate he was available at No. 26. — Dan Pompei | More on Barton
Hate to go too obvious here, but Latham (the No. 7 pick) has the kind of physicality that can make an offensive line scarier the first time he puts his hand in the dirt, and the way he talks about football tracks with the way he plays it. That’s not to say he’s a perfect prospect or a lock to do anything. It’s also far from certain that he’ll be able to go from right tackle in college to left tackle in the NFL, though the Titans intend to give him that opportunity. If it doesn’t work in his rookie season, Titans fans will be upset and the words “reach” and “bust” will be flying around. But if he settles in at right tackle and is great there — despite the shuffling and challenges that will mean in 2024 — then he’ll ultimately be worth the early pick. — Joe Rexrode | More Titans takeaways
No need to overthink this. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has the goods to solve Washington’s decades-long quarterback problem and bring pure joy to a fan base that hasn’t seen sunshine this century. The No. 2 pick won’t fix everything alone, and we’ll have to see if he’s up to the task of being a starting NFL quarterback. But when it comes to generating excitement, Daniels is No. 1. — Ben Standig | More Commanders takeaways
(Top photos of Laiatu Latu, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Keon Coleman: Ronald Martinez, Gregory Shamus and Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)
