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Lions Trade Up, Move To No. 189

April 27th, 2024 at 3:40pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions have moved up in the 2024 NFL Draft, trading up to No. 189 overall. With their new sixth-round pick, Detroit is adding LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo. In return for the move, the Texans will be receiving the Lions’ No. 205 pick in the sixth round and No. 249 pick in the seventh round.

Wingo marks the third defensive tackle to come out of Baton Rouge in this draft alone, following college teammates Maason Smith (2nd round, 48th overall) and Jordan Jefferson (4th round, 116th overall) who were both selected by the Jaguars. Wingo wasn’t always Smith and Jefferson’s teammate, transferring to LSU after a freshman season at Missouri that saw him earn SEC All-Freshman team honors.

Wingo became an immediate factor once he got to Baton Rouge. Starting 13 games as a sophomore, Wingo earned second-team All-SEC and third-team All-American honors. As team captain last year, Wingo missed the last five games of the season after groin injuries. He is incredibly disruptive but doesn’t always convert that to production in the backfield.

The Lions added some starting power to the lineup in D.J. Reader, who will set up on the inside next to Alim McNeill. In 2023, Pro Football Focus ranked McNeill and Reader as the seventh and 11th best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

Wingo arrives in Detroit coming off the season-ending injuries from 2023. The talented 21-year-old could work his way into a rotation on the line, but 2024 may just be a season for Wingo to get healthy and get used to the speed of the NFL game. With McNeill in a contract year and set to earn a decent sum, though, Wingo come represent the future for the Lions at defensive tackle.

Jets Draft CB Qwan’Tez Stiggers At No. 176

April 27th, 2024 at 3:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the 2024 draft’s more interesting prospects is off the board. Cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers has been drafted with the No. 176 by the Jets.

Stiggers represents the first player drafted into the NFL after beginning his pro career in the Canadian Football League. Stiggers also spent time in the Fan-Controlled Football League as part of his unique path to the NFL level. He is one of a few players in history to be drafted after not playing NCAA football.

The 22-year-old’s plans went on hold following the death of his father. Rather than attending school and playing at the Division II level, Stiggers temporarily decided against pursuing a college football career. His unsuccessful bid to return to an NCAA program in 2022 led him to the Fan-Controlled league, in which he recorded five interceptions in 12 games. That led to interest from the XFL, but Stiggers elected to head north of the border for the 2023 campaign.

Quickly earning a starting role on the Toronto Argonauts (the team which finished the year with the CFL’s best regular season record), Stiggers racked up five interceptions and 12 pass deflections. Those totals earned him Most Outstanding Rookie honors as well as an All-Star nod. It also put him firmly on the radar of the NFL draft, something which was cemented by his pre-draft process.

Stiggers’ Pro Day (which took place at an academy in his hometown of Atlanta) produced a 40-yard dash time of 4.45. That speed, coupled with his 5-11, 204-pound frame, could allow him to earn a roster spot this year in New York. The Jets are set atop the CB depth chart, but Stiggers could serve in a rotational role while contributing on special teams. It will be interesting to see if he manages to make history by succeeding in his efforts regarding a CFL-to-NFL jump.

Jets Acquire No. 171 From Eagles, Select QB Jordan Travis

April 27th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets have moved up to No. 171 in a pick swap with the Eagles. New York will send the 185th and 190th picks to Philadelphia, allowing the team to select Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. This agreement marks the eighth trade made by the Eagles in this year’s draft, tied for the most since 1990.

Travis is the second quarterback to hear his name called after the first round, having needed to wait quite some time following the first six passers coming off the board within the first 12 selections. The soon-to-be 24-year-old was projected as a Day 3 option, but one possessing upside after his successful run with the Seminoles.

Starting in 2020, Travis took over atop the depth chart, and he proceeded to enjoy individual success while leading the team to notable heights. The Louisville transfer saw incremental success over the years in terms of accuracy, and his mobility produced noteworthy production on the ground as well. In 2023, Florida State was one of the nation’s top teams in large part due to Travis’ play.

Following a 10-0 start to the year, Travis suffered a fractured leg. That injury sidelined him for the rest of the campaign and derailed the Seminoles’ offense. The team managed to remain undefeated through the ACC title game, but Travis’ absence was a key factor in the decision to leave Florida State out of the College Football Playoff. Without being able to take part in the pre-draft process, he was also at a disadvantage relative to other signal-callers in this year’s class.

Still, Travis – who ended his college career No. 1 in school history in total offense (10,655 yards) and touchdowns (99) – profiles as an intriguing backup option for the Jets. Zach Wilson is, to no surprise, no longer in the fold following his trade to the Broncos. Coming off an Achilles tear, Aaron Rodgers is in place to start in 2024 and he plans to continue playing into his 40s. Travis could serve as a third-string option behind Rodgers and offseason addition Tyrod Taylor before potentially succeeding the latter in the QB2 spot.

Packers Trade Up To No. 163, Draft Duke C Jacob Monk

April 27th, 2024 at 2:25pm CST by Ely Allen

The Packers saw the need to move up five spots in the 2024 NFL Draft today, sending the Bills pick Nos. 168 and 219 in the fifth and sixth round, respectively. The move up resulted in Green Bay adding Duke center Jacob Monk to the roster.

Monk was a five-year starter for the Blue Devils, utilizing his extra year of eligibility thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season. He started 58 of 59 game appearances during his time at Duke. Not only does he bring extensive starting experience, but he also brings experience all along the right side of the offensive line. After starting all 12 of his freshman year games at right tackle, he spent the next two years starting at right guard before splitting his time over his last two seasons between right guard and center.

The Packers have Josh Myers as their starting center as the last three years. He’s never graded out phenomenally, according to Pro Football Focus, but he’s not bad enough that Monk should be expected to start in 2024. Monk likely comes in as a backup center and a sixth-man on the offensive line.

Due to his versatility at Duke, Monk has the ability to fill in in a pinch at any position on the line as a backup. If he develops strongly over the next year, there’s a chance that he can take over for Myers, who is playing in a contract year. This gives Green Bay a year to determine its plan at center moving past the 2024 season.

Eagles Trade Up To No. 155, Draft LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

April 27th, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles have swapped places with the Colts in the fifth round. Philadelphia has acquired No. 155 from Indianapolis, sending Nos. 164 and 201 in exchange.

With that newly added selection, the Eagles have drafted Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Trotter’s father was selected by Philadelphia in 1998, and he spent eight years with the team. Trotter Sr. earned four Pro Bowl invites and a pair of All-Pro nods during his tenure there, and his son will aim to likewise have a successful time with the Eagles.

Trotter spent his three-year college career at Clemson, serving as starter over the past two seasons. As a sophomore, he filled the statsheet with 92 tackles (including 13.5 for loss), 6.5 sacks, eight pass deflections and a pair of interceptions. Those totals earned him a number of accolades, including a place on the All-American second team.

In 2023, Trotter’s output remained similar to that of the previous campaign, and he earned first-team All-ACC honors. As a 21-year-old junior, his age and production likely gives him some of the highest upside amongst linebackers in the 2024 class. He will be able to compete for playing time as at least a depth contributor and special teams mainstay in Philadelphia.

The Eagles have made a number of changes at the linebacker spot this offseason, bringing in Devin White and Zack Baun. 2022 third-rounder Nakobe Dean is also in line to assume a larger workload this year. Trotter will thus have plenty of competition for defensive snaps as a rookie, but he is now positioned to attempt to follow in his father’s footsteps at the NFL level.

Saints Select QB Spencer Rattler At No. 150

April 27th, 2024 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The QB gap in this draft lasted from Nos. 12 to 150, but the Saints are stopping the drought. They will be the team to bring in Spencer Rattler, doing so with their fifth-round pick. This draft’s first passer chosen since Bo Nix on Thursday night, Rattler will head to a Saints team that moved on from Jameis Winston this offseason.

In a top-heavy quarterback draft class, Rattler was the next man up after the draft’s top six passers. Rattler is used to this type of treatment at this point. As a consensus five-star recruit coming out of Pinnacle HS (AZ), Rattler, the top quarterback in the Class of 2019, was immediately in the spotlight as one of the three stars of the tv show QB1: Beyond the Lights. Once he got to Oklahoma, though, he was forced backstage as new transfer arrival from Alabama Jalen Hurts took the starting job at quarterback.

After redshirting behind Hurts, Rattler got the spotlight again, starting as a redshirt freshman for the Sooners. Throwing for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while rushing for six more scores, Rattler earned Freshman All-American honors. In his second year as a starter, though, Rattler struggled to find the same success. He had an impressive 74.9 completion percentage but often made poor decisions, resulting in turnovers. It didn’t help that he had five-star freshman, and eventual No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams breathing down his neck.

After getting benched for Williams in 2021, Rattler entered the transfer portal, finding his way to South Carolina. He would start the next two years as a team captain for the Gamecocks, though his stats would never quite reach the success of his redshirt freshman year.

Rattler enters an interesting situation in New Orleans. Derek Carr is firmly planted atop the depth chart, so Rattler will be competing for a backup job for the Saints. Tight end, and sometimes quarterback, Taysom Hill remains as an option for New Orleans on the roster, but they’ve also brought in Nathan Peterman and Kellen Mond this offseason.

Peterman has the experience over Rattler, though his experience has been far from impressive at times, and Mond has been in the league for three years, though he doesn’t have much to show for it as a former third-round pick. The Saints have chosen to look past some perceived personality issues to take Rattler today, so it will be up to the 23-year-old quarterback to show more upside than Peterman or Mond. If he can, Rattler may be able to earn a roster spot as a rookie, instead of being subject to free agency and a practice squad.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Bears Trade Back Into Draft At 144, Draft Edge Austin Booker

April 27th, 2024 at 1:29pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bears were seemingly done with the 2024 NFL Draft today, but the team brass decided to trade back in to draft Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker. For moving out of the 144th overall pick in the fifth round, the Bills will receive a 2025 fourth-round pick from Chicago. This pick was the fifth-rounder that Buffalo originally acquired from the Bears when they traded center Ryan Bates to Chicago. The Bears got their pick back.

Booker started his career at Minnesota, redshirting in 2021 and playing sparingly in his second year with the Golden Gophers. As a result, he entered the transfer portal and found his way to Kansas. Booker exploded onto the scene in his lone year with the Jayhawks. Winning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and earning first-team All-Big 12 honors, Booker led the team in sacks (8.0), tackles for loss (12.0), and forced fumbles (2) despite only making one start in 12 game appearances.

The Bears are getting a project here in the fifth round. They’re well set up to do so with Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker returning at defensive end. They add a little bit of depth with third-year end Dominique Robinson, but the cabinet is a bit bare after that with Khalid Kareem and Jacob Martin failing to make much of an impact in the NFL thus far.

Booker figures to work into the rotation, nonetheless. His impressive single-season production in Lawrence shows that, while he’s still developing, he can absolutely be effective. The Bears will fill out his frame the right way and will attempt to help coach him into a starting pass rusher with a new bag of tricks that Booker has yet to access. Despite his raw makeup, the Bears saw fit to trade back into the draft to acquire him.

Lions Acquire No. 132, Select Utah’s Sione Vaki

April 27th, 2024 at 12:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles are apparently determined to add as many 2025 picks as possible. The team has made their third trade of the day, sending picks No. 132 and No. 210 to the Lions for picks No. 164, No. 201, and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

The Lions have used their pick on Utah Swiss Army Knife Sione Vaki.

The prospect played on both sides of the ball during his time in college. On defense, he mostly played safety, collecting 92 tackles in 26 games across two seasons. He started playing some running back for the 2023 campaign and ended up garnering 42 carries for 317 yards and two touchdowns. He also added another 11 catches for 203 yards and three scores.

Considering that positional versatility, Vaki should have multiple paths to sticking around the NFL.

49ers Acquire No. 129, Select Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo

April 27th, 2024 at 12:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers are moving up the board, acquiring pick No. 129 from the Jets. In return, San Francisco will send New York picks No. 173 and No. 176.

The team has used their new selection on Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo.

After transferring from Wisconsin to Louisville for the 2023 campaign, Guerendo had a breakout season. The running back finished the year with 1,044 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns, and he also returned 11 kickoffs for 211 yards.

Guerendo will look to compete for backup reps behind Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. The Niners are still rostering Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason, and they also added Patrick Taylor Jr. to the group. It may take the rookie some time until he’s able to break into the rotation, but he should be able to contribute on special teams for the time being.

Lions Send Jets 2025 Third-Rounder For No. 126

April 27th, 2024 at 12:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the Dolphins sent a 2025 third-rounder to the Eagles, the Lions are making a similar move. To climb to No. 126, Detroit is dealing a 2025 third-rounder to the Jets.

The Lions are using the newly acquired choice to draft tackle Giovanni Manu, who played at the University of British Columbia (Canada).

The 6-foot-8, 350-pound lineman obviously impressed with his physical attributes during the pre-draft process, with Manu meeting with more than 10 teams. The lineman recorded a 5.03-second forty-yard time, 8.29-second three-cone time, and 4.81-second short shuttle time during his pro day (per John Hodge of 3DownNation).

It’s been a while since a ‘U Player’ has heard his name called in the NFL Draft. Manu represents the first pick since David Onyemata, who was a fourth-round pick by the Saints in 2016.

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