Former NFL Scout Outlines Best Players Still Available in Draft

It was a curious first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but I’ll get more into that on my first-round report card.

A LOT OF DYNAMIC TALENT IS AVAILABLE ON DAY TWO.

I had first-round value grades on the following 13 prospects. It all starts at 7 p.m. Eastern.

NFL Draft Board

1. Spencer Rattler, Quarterback, South Carolina

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

I’ve seen Rattler as a franchise quarterback since I first laid eyes on him at Oklahoma back in 2020. Some lucky team will land my top-rated quarterback in this draft class (and the No. 1 player on my first-round value board). ESPN’s Robert Griffin III had this to say:

2. Jer’Zhan Newton, Defensive Tackle, Illinois

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

A tenacious pocket-wrecking difference-maker who turned in back-to-back seasons of high-level game film. My top-rated defensive tackle is waiting by the phone.

3. Adonai Mitchell, Wide Receiver, Texas

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Mitchell has gotten lost in the shuffle due to missing nine games at Georgia and then transferring to Texas in 2023. What he lacks in polish, he makes up for by being explosive.

4. T.J. Tampa, Cornerback, Iowa State

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

A lanky menace in coverage who loves to pop whoever has the ball in their hands. Tampa comes equipped with that coveted short-area burst and long-range recovery speed needed to keep up with today’s game.

5. Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

A 6-foot-4, 276 pound brute who understands the art of leverage. I saw Trice fold back Saints first-round right tackle Taliese Fuaga (6-foot-6, 334-pound) back like he was a damn lawn chair.

6. T’Vondre Sweat, Defensive Tackle, Texas

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Sweat is an inconsistent force of nature (6-foot-4 1/2, 366 pounds) who took over a handful of plays in every game I studied at Texas. My affectionate nickname for him is “The Human Avalanche.”

7. Joe Milton III, Quarterback, University of Tennessee

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Milton is armed with dominant characteristics and an infectious smile and personality. He has also shown subtle and consistent incremental development in the areas that translate to success in the NFL.

8. Max Melton, Cornerback, Rutgers

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Melton is a playmaking corner with 4.39 speed and a lot of ‘want.’ He held his own against top-25 college competition (including wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who the Cardinals took in the first-round).

9. Braden Fiske, Defensive Tackle, FSU

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Fiske has one of the highest motors I’ve seen in this draft class. Plus, he has an insatiable appetite for sacking quarterbacks and he plays the run like a bouncer at a bar.

10. Patrick Paul, Left Tackle, University of Houston

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Described as a ‘Prodigy in Martial Arts,’ on his school’s website, what he lacks in polish in pass protection he makes up for with a high football IQ, athleticism, and extreme aggression. Paul reminds me of 10-year NFL veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses (Jets).

11. Ja’Lynn Polk, Wide Receiver, Washington

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

A strong all-around offensive threat who excels at all three route levels (short, intermediate, and deep). He reminds me of former NFL wide receiver, Andre Rison.

12. Ladd McConkey, Wide Receiver, Georgia

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

McConkey slipped through the cracks due to an injury-shortened 2023. However, make no mistake about it, this scrappy football player is thirsty for receptions and he’s one of the best and most instinctual route runners in this draft class.

13. Malachi Corley, Wide Receiver, Western Kentucky

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

Corley is a weapon that adds another dimension to an offense. A hybrid receiver with legs built like a power back who excels running through cornerbacks after catching short bubble screens.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.