Cowboys Draft OT Tyler Guyton At No. 29
After trading back earlier tonight, the Cowboys have managed to add to their offensive line. The team has selected Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton with the No. 29 pick.
Guyton played all-but exclusively at right tackle with the Sooners, but there were plenty of draft pundits who believed the prospect could eventually develop into an NFL left tackle. While the Oklahoma product wasn’t considered to have the same upside as many of his draft counterparts, he still solidified his first-round draft stock with strong collegiate performances, including a 2023 campaign where he earned an honorable All-Big 12 mention.
Guyton also made a name for himself because of his physical frame. Listed at six-foot-eight and 322 pounds, the massive offensive lineman drew the attention of many NFL front offices during the pre-draft process. While Guyton could have realistically landed anywhere in the first round, he ended up following most projections by being selected towards the end of Day 1.
The rookie will likely be counted on right away to protect Dak Prescott in Dallas. With Tyron Smith out of the picture, the organization hasn’t done a whole lot to address the hole on their offensive line. Terence Steele is entrenched at one of the OT spots, and Guyton should beat out the likes of Chuma Edoga and Matt Waletzko for the other starting spot.
Chiefs Jump To No. 28, Select WR Xavier Worthy
The Chiefs have moved up the draft board. The team has acquired pick No. 28 from the Bills, along with picks No. 133 and No. 248. In exchange, Buffalo will receive No. 32, No. 95, and No. 221.
With their newfound pick, the Chiefs have addressed a recent position of need: wide receiver. The organization has selected Texas wideout Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 pick. This will pair Patrick Mahomes with a player that just set the Combine 40-yard dash record — at 4.21 seconds.
The Chiefs have given their megastar quarterback two new wide receivers this offseason. Neither Worthy nor Marquise Brown bring much in the way of size to Kansas City’s equation; Brown goes 5-foot-9, 180 pounds while Worthy checked in at 5-11, 165. That could bring some challenges for the Chiefs, who are coming off an uneven — well, as far as Super Bowl-winning seasons go — campaign. The WR position played the central role in Kansas City stumbling through the ’23 slate on offense.
Worthy’s blazing Indianapolis sprint obviously enhanced his prospect profile, but the ex-Longhorns pass catcher is coming off a productive college career. Worthy led last year’s Texas iteration in receptions (75) and receiving yards (1,014). Worthy was not a breakout player in 2023, either, having produced from 2021-23 with the Big 12 program. He totaled 12 touchdowns as a freshman — a 981-yard debut — and added nine TD grabs in 2022.
Consistency certainly would help a Chiefs team that received anything but at the receiver position last year. Placing high hopes on Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney, Kansas City saw neither would-be regular develop into a trustworthy option for Mahomes. The Chiefs’ receiving corps led the NFL in drops, and by season’s end, the team had become more effective with Toney and Moore sidelined. Moore finished the season on IR, while Toney strangely questioned his playoff injury status in a recorded rant before the AFC championship game. The Chiefs made Toney a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. Although Andy Reid said Toney remains in the picture for the 2024 Chiefs, the ex-Giants first-rounder appears on the verge of wearing out his welcome with a second NFL franchise.
Given the Chiefs’ one-sided rivalry (in the playoffs, that is) against the Bills, it is interesting Buffalo enabled the two-time reigning champions to bolster their threepeat quest with Worthy. The Bills will enter Day 2 with work to do at wide receiver. The Chiefs’ work here, during an offseason that has admittedly seen more trouble emerge (via Rashee Rice‘s hit-and-run arrest, which produced eight felony charges), is largely done — from an acquisition standpoint, at least.
Of course, the team will await word on Rice — its saving grace at wide receiver last season. The 2023 second-rounder remains critical to Kansas City’s 2024 plan, though Brown and Worthy stand to help the cause.
Cardinals Select DL Darius Robinson At No. 27
After adding one of the top offensive players earlier in the night, the Cardinals have now added an intriguing defensive prospect. The team has selected Missouri pass rusher Darius Robinson with the No. 27 pick.
While No. 4 overall choice Marvin Harrison Jr. filled a glaring need for the Cardinals, so does Robinson. Arizona struggled to rush the passer last season, having seen J.J. Watt retire and Zach Allen defect to Denver in free agency. The Cards did not do much on the edge, either, largely rolling with a low-cost crew during a rebuilding campaign. Robinson will give Jonathan Gannon more options outside.
Coming off the Senior Bowl, Robinson scheduled a whopping 20 pre-draft visits. He will join the Cardinals after a versatile career at Mizzou. The SEC program lined Robinson up across its formation, and he profiles as a power rusher as opposed to a player who will win consistently around the edge. With the Cardinals rolling out a 3-4 defensive scheme in Gannon’s first season, that could make the 6-foot-5, 285-pound performer valuable as a down lineman potentially.
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah likened Robinson’s profile to Arik Armstead coming out of Columbia; that certainly represents an intriguing comp. The inside/outside talent, who saw more time at defensive tackle in 2022, totaled 8.5 sacks and a Tigers-most 14 tackles for loss last season. With this draft class not as deep at D-tackle compared to D-end, the Cardinals have an interesting prospect to mold. Robinson is going to a team without too much of note in the pass-rushing department.
The Cardinals’ 33 sacks last season ranked 30th in the NFL. Although the team used a second-round pick last year on BJ Ojulari, the cupboard is nearly bare beyond him. Career special-teamer Dennis Gardeck led the Cards with six sacks last season, as converted ILB Zaven Collins worked as a regular OLB starter. Robinson will be tasked with delivering immediate impact, as playing time will be available — perhaps at multiple positions.
In terms of first-round picks, this wraps the Deshaun Watson trade. The Cardinals acquired the third first-rounder from that 2022 blockbuster last year, moving from No. 3 to No. 12 to give the Texans rights to Will Anderson Jr.
Bucs Select OL Graham Barton At No. 26
The Buccaneers have opted for one of the draft’s most versatile offensive linemen. The team has selected Duke’s Graham Barton with the No. 26 pick. 
Barton was a four-year starter for the Blue Devils, including his COVID-19-shortened freshman season, in which he was named a second-team Freshman All-American. After spending that rookie season as Duke’s starting center, he moved over to left tackle, where he would start for the remainder of his career.
Barton earned first-team All-ACC honors as a junior and senior and was a second-team All-American in 2023. He’ll have to make adjustments as he moves back inside at the NFL level, but his time at tackle will have helped him improve his pass protection technique.
In Tampa Bay, it should be assumed that Barton will come in to start at center. Robert Hainsey took over as the Buccaneers’ starter at the position since Ryan Jensen sustained what turned out to be a career-altering knee injury during Tampa Bay’s 2022 training camp; Jensen retired earlier this year.
In his second year as the team’s starter, Hainsey struggled greatly, grading out as the 32nd-ranked center out of 36 graded players, according to Pro Football Focus. He could also be asked to slip into the guard spot that Tampa Bay struggled to fill last year. Although, given that Barton didn’t play a single snap at guard throughout his collegiate career, it may make more sense to slide Hainsey out to guard and give Barton the center job.
The Cowboys and Steelers were believed to have interest in Barton, but he instead will be tasked with helping the Bucs’ blocking effort. After having no draft picks in 2020, 2022, and 2023, Barton becomes the first draft pick for the Blue Devils since 2021. He’s the school’s first Day 1 selection since Daniel Jones was selected sixth overall in 2019.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Packers Select T Jordan Morgan At No. 25
Following a breakout season from their young offense, the Packers are continuing to add to their core. The team has selected Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan with the 25th pick.
If six quarterbacks had not gone off the board in the first 12 picks, the run on tackles might be this draft’s defining development. Seven are off the board in the draft’s first 25 picks. Not every member of this first-round contingent may play tackle as a rookie, but each did in their final college seasons. Counting Graham Barton, who is expected to slide from Duke left tackle to Buccaneers center, eight edge blockers have gone in the first 26 picks.
Morgan joins a Packers team that cut David Bakhtiari after 11 seasons. Injuries doomed the final years of the former All-Pro’s Green Bay run, with an ACL tear during a New Year’s Eve 2020 practice providing a seminal setback for a team that had recently extended the blindside mainstay. Bakhtiari is unsigned, and Morgan now profiles as a developmental option to eventually succeed him.
Morgan also has an ACL tear in his recent past, having gone down in November 2022. He made an impressive rehab journey, shaking off the major injury to become a first-round pick despite this draft oozing tackle options for teams. A three-year starter at Arizona, Morgan started 37 games at left tackle. His post-ACL journey included a first-team All-Pac-12 nod last season.
Green Bay’s LT situation did not crater after Bakhtiari’s latest absence. Bakhtiari lasted all of one game last season, needing a fifth surgery on his troublesome knee. Rasheed Walker, a 2022 seventh-round pick, stepped in and started 15 games. Pro Football Focus assigned him a middling grade. Walker gives the Packers an option, and the team now has 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard — who has not come especially close to justifying his draft slot in Philadelphia or Nashville — on a veteran-minimum deal. The Packers now have some options, though the team has RT starter Zach Tom tied to a through-2025 contract.
Dolphins Select OLB Chop Robinson At No. 21
Chop Robinson is the latest edge rusher to come off the board on Day 1. The Penn State alum came off the board 21st overall, being ticketed for a Dolphins roster spot.
Robinson seemed set to be the next Nittany Lion pass rusher to be selected in the first round. He was connected to a number of teams throughout the past few months, with more than 10 hosting him on pre-draft visits. Ultimately, he’ll land in Miami.
The edge rusher put himself on the NFL map following a standout 2022 campaign where he finished with 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. His numbers weren’t as strong in 2023 (four sacks, 7.5 TFLs), perhaps ending his hope of being the first player selected at his position. Still, Robinson managed to stick in the first round.
Robinson will be joining a talented pass-rushing corps in Miami. The rookie may be hardpressed to see an every-down role playing alongside Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and offseason acquisition Shaquil Barrett, but he should still get plenty of run as a situational pass rusher.
While the Dolphins boast an impressive collection of edge defenders, injuries presently interfere with their setup. Phillips is rehabbing an Achilles tear sustained in late November, while Chubb may not be ready in time for Week 1 due to sustaining an ACL tear — his second as a pro — in Week 17. Barrett, who suffered a torn Achilles in 2022, stands as veteran insurance. Miami’s situation may lead to Robinson playing more often than he otherwise would.
If everyone ends up healthy at some point early in the season, Miami could have a formidable quartet of edge players. This would be quite the step forward for the team, which needed to sign multiple players off the street to fill out a depth chart ahead of an ugly wild-card loss to the Chiefs.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Steelers Add OL Troy Fautanu At No. 20
As expected, O-linemen continue to be popular in the first round. Likewise, the Steelers’ top choice comes at an expected position. Pittsburgh used the No. 20 pick on Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu.
The Steelers had been linked to using their first-round pick on a blocker for a bit now. While a Thursday rumor mentioned Duke tackle/center Graham Barton as a target, this year’s deep tackle group presented an opportunity for Pittsburgh to add a higher-value player. This marks the second straight year the Steelers have gone O-line in Round 1; they chose Broderick Jones last year.
Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors while blocking for Michael Penix Jr.. That performance helped put the lineman in the first-round conversation for the 2024 draft. Fautanu has generally been lauded for his speed and athleticism, and the 6-foot-4, 317-pound lineman certainly has the physical attributes to compete as an NFL offensive tackle.
The Washington product was considered a first-round pick for much of the pre-draft process and was mentioned in the same breath as the five rookie linemen selected before him. However, Fautanu’s positional uncertainty may have led to him being the sixth OL off the board.
Some pundits projected the prospect as an interior lineman in the NFL, with some even declaring him the best draft option at that guard. However, considering the appeal of tackles, that sentiment may have ended up hurting the player’s draft stock. There was some growing optimism that Fautanu would be able to play tackle in the NFL, and it will be interesting to see how the Steelers proceed with their rookie lineman.
There shouldn’t be much in the way between Fautanu and a starting OT spot in 2024. With Jones rumored to be sliding from right to left tackle — his primary college position — this year, a Fautanu path to the lineup could include a competition with Dan Moore Jr. for RT work. But the Steelers have some additional flexibility — and a potential long-term solution — thanks to their latest O-line investment.
Bengals Draft T Amarius Mims At No. 18
A run on defensive players has come to an end. The Bengals have become the latest team to select an offensive lineman, drafting Georgia tackle Amarius Mims.
The Bengals bid farewell to four-year starter (and 2023 right tackle) Jonah Williams this offseason, and while they used free agency to bring in a stopgap, Mims profiles as a long-term solution opposite left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Mims’ frame only adds to the Bengals’ historic dimensions at this position. While Orlando Brown goes 6-foot-8, 345 pounds, presumptive bridge RT option Trent Brown is listed at 6-8, 370. Mims checks in at 6-7, 340.
Mims served as a backup to begin his collegiate career, but he was inserted into the lineup late in the 2022 campaign, starting in a College Football Playoff game and the team’s second straight national championship game victory. He finally had a chance to start full time in 2023, but after three starts, Mims suffered a high ankle sprain and was forced to undergo tightrope surgery. It would take nine weeks for Mims to finally get back on the field. Following his return, Mims end up exiting his team’s loss in the SEC championship game.
Considering Mims’ lack of starting experience and eventual injury concerns, he profiled as one of the bigger question marks heading into tonight’s draft. There aren’t many examples of offensive tackles with so little starting experience being drafted so highly, but that obviously wasn’t enough to stop a team like the Bengals from gambling on his upside.
Mims certainly has the physical attributes to succeed in the NFL. The Bengals did bring in Trent Brown this offseason to line up on the opposite side of the line from 2023 LT signee Orlando Brown, so the Bengals may not need to lean on their first-round rookie right away. However, considering the frequency of NFL injuries, it shouldn’t be long before Mims gets his number called.
Vikings Acquire No. 17 Pick From Jaguars, Select OLB Dallas Turner
Once again, the Vikings have moved up the board. Minnesota has traded the 23rd pick to the Jaguars for No. 17, also sending No. 167 this and 2025 third- and fourth-round selections to Jacksonville.
With the pick, Minnesota has drafted Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner. The prospect was considered one of the top edge rushers in this year’s draft, leading to some speculation that he could be the first defensive player off the board. In a normal year, that’d warrant a top-10 pick, but considering this year’s unprecedented run on offensive players, Turner was the 17th player off the board tonight.
The 2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Turner posted a career-high 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last season. Those figures helped earn him All-American acclaim as he took over from Will Anderson as the Crimson Tide’s lead edge rusher.
The Vikings will be eyeing a bit of a transitional season in 2024. After landing their Kirk Cousins replacement in QB J.J. McCarthy earlier tonight, the team has now added a potential defensive stalwart in Turner.
The edge rusher will likely profile as more of a linebacker in Brian Flores‘ 3-4 defense. The organization has brought in a number of players at the position this offseason, including Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, and Blake Cashman, so the rookie might not immediately slide atop the depth chart. Turner’s versatility could also lead to some snaps on the defensive line, where he’d be competing with the likes of Jonathan Bullard and offseason addition Jonah Williams.
Colts Select DE Laiatu Latu At No. 15
A defensive player has finally come off the board following the run on (primarily) QBs and tackles. The Colts have used the No. 15 pick on UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu.
Latu has one of the most unique NFL paths in this year’s draft. A neck issue during Washington’s training camp in 2020 led to a medical retirement. Latu, however, resurfaced at UCLA in 2022 and proceeded to rip off 10.5- and 13-sack seasons. The latter effort produced a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honor in the conference’s swansong season, and it put him firmly in the discussion as one of the draft’s top defensive prospects.
Considering those past injury concerns, teams were naturally wary of the prospect entering the pre-draft process. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport passes along that Latu “got as good reviews as you can ask for” from a medical perspective, something that bodes well for his NFL future.
The injury questions are probably the only reason why Latu wasn’t able to end the offensive run earlier in the night. While the Colts may bring the rookie along slowly, he projects as a three-down option as a professional. With Samson Ebukam and Kwity Paye currently penciled in on the edge, Latu may start off as a third-down option before taking on more responsibility.
There were 14 offensive players selected to begin tonight’s draft. This is the longest run on offensive players to begin a draft in NFL history, making Latu a popular trivia answer in a few years.