• Colts capitalize on early offensive run: Taking Laiatu Latu with the 15th pick, the Colts were able to acquire a game-changing edge rusher.
• Positional value or positionless? Tight end Brock Bowers came off the board to the Raiders at No. 13 but was a clear top-10 pick analytically and on tape.
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Six quarterbacks were off the board within the first 12 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, so it was inevitable that talent would get pushed down the board.
One could even argue that Marvin Harrison Jr. and Joe Alt were steals, given their lofty potential and likelihood of being top-two or top-three picks in a typical draft.
Let’s take a look at five of the biggest steals from Round 1.
WR Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
Despite the Bears having just four picks in this year’s draft, the first eight selections put the team in a dream scenario. Rome Odunze fell into their lap at No. 9, with the Washington product having been in the conversation with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers as the best receiver in the class.
Able to win at all three levels and do some damage after the catch, Odunze recorded a 15.5-yard average depth of target, a 4.17 yards per route run mark and a 75% contested-catch rate last season. He rounds out the Bears' receiving room with a dynamic threat for No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Bowers at No. 13 to the Raiders appeared to be an awkward fit, with Michael Mayer already a budding player for the team, but this could turn out to be a savvy move to zig while the rest of the league zags, allowing Las Vegas to frequently operate in 12 personnel.
Topping the 85th percentile in three of PFF’s most stable metrics, Bowers saw only nine contested targets in 2022 while creating easy separation against SEC linebackers and defensive backs. He consistently made splashes after the catch, with 7.6 yards after the catch per reception, and ranked second among Power Five tight ends in yards per route run.
EDGE Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts
Latu captured five of nine top spots in PFF’s key grading facets among eligible EDGE defenders and earned an elite 94.3 pass-rush grade this past season.
The medical concerns clearly didn’t scare everyone off, as Latu ended up as the first defensive player off the board — but not until the Colts came on the clock at No. 15. Latu’s pass-rushing bag is as deep as any edge prospect we’ve seen in the past few years, and he pairs that with a quick first step and great closing speed. He has the potential to be a double-digit sack guy as early as his rookie season.
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles
Thriving in off-man and Cover 3, Mitchell dominated his MAC competition with long speed and fluidity to stick to receivers' hips and great ball skills, forcing an incompletion on more than 40 passes between 2022 and 2023.
His slide matched a bit of a need for Philadelphia at No. 22, with Darius Slay and James Bradberry both on the wrong side of 30. The Eagles were able to add to their defensive core with a high-level athlete who brings proven production and the ceiling of an NFL shutdown cornerback.
CB Terrion Arnold, Detroit Lions
A feisty man coverage specialist, Arnold was the target of a Lions trade-up at No. 24, marking another step in an overhaul of their secondary after the team acquired Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson earlier in the offseason.
Arnold is capable of holding up as a boundary cornerback but really thrived inside, grading out in the 90th percentile when lined up in the slot in 2023. His five interceptions this past season tied for sixth among Power Five cornerbacks.
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