As your New Orleans Saints prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, we take a look at the top 10 ranked players at various positions. The 2024 NFL Draft big board rankings are reflective of Bucky Brooks' top five 2024 NFL Draft prospects by position 1.0 and ESPN's NFL Draft "Best Available" list.
Here are the top 5 ranked draft prospects at wide receiver and the top 5 ranked draft prospects at tight end:
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Wide Receiver | No. 1 Marvin Harrison Jr. | Ohio State
Entering the draft with an NFL player comparison of CeeDee Lamb, Harrison Jr. will be looking to replicate the same amount of success in the league as his father, Marvin Harrison. The Buckeye prospect will be entering the draft as a nearly unanimous top pick. He has the traits to make him a day 1 starter and, depending on the offense, potentially a WR1. Part of what makes Harrison Jr. so dangerous is his ability to sell routes as well as his consistency in his speed. While he likely won't run by a corner, he can fake a route with such success that if a defender hesitates even for a second, it is unlikely they will be able to catch him.
Height: 6 feet 3
Weight: 209 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.83
NFL.com overview: "Harrison comes from impressive NFL bloodlines and possesses similarities that made his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, special. Harrison can run but isn't a burner. What makes him tough to handle is his consistent play speed paired with quality salesmanship in his routes. He's able to uncover no matter where he's aligned or which part of the field his assignment takes him to, and he is capable of finishing catches in a crowd. Harrison can be sudden while working possession routes, and he's well qualified to beat any opponent with his ball skills if the battle heads deep. Harrison is a touchdown champ with a variety of ways to excel, and that characteristic figures to follow him into the pros. He has the traits and tools to win in all three phases of the route and on all three levels of the field. He's a pedigree prospect and a Day 1 starter with high-end production expected."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Wide Receiver | No. 2 Rome Odunze | Washington
Any time a prospect has a player comparison of someone with a storied NFL legacy, scouts tend to pay attention. Such is the case for Rome Odunze who was given a player comparison of Larry Fitzgerald. An NFC regional scout had this to say about the Huskies prospect: "Team captain. Good leader. Tough. Dependable. (Michael) Penix would just fling it up in the air sometimes and (Odunze) just went and got it. He's my favorite player on the West Coast." Odunze is listed as the second-best wide receiver prospect on NFL.com and the third-best on ESPN's Best Available. He was a sprinter in high school, so that speed should lead to success in the pros. He also loves making contested catches and giving his quarterbacks an easy pass, so he will likely be a starter as soon as he enters the league.
Height: 6 feet 3
Weight: 212 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.74
NFL.com overview: "A team captain with good size and elite ball skills, Odunze consistently dominated his competition. While most receivers look to open separation windows with speed or route running, Odunze seems to relish jump balls and contested catches. He shines in all aspects of ball skills, including positioning, body control, hand strength, timing and mid-air adjustments. He has a tendency to cruise through routes rather than working with attention to detail and pacing. He was a decorated high school sprinter, so speed should not be an issue in the pros. He's a high-volume target on the next level that play-callers can utilize to mismatch finesse cornerbacks. Elite ball skills are often the secret sauce for top NFL receivers, so it should not surprise if Odunze is a Day 1 starter who becomes a top-flight WR1."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Wide Receiver | No. 3 Malik Nabers | LSU
Youngsville native Malik Nabers has so much skill entering the draft, that scouts can't help but compare him to previous stars that came through the LSU program. NFL.com has given Nabers a player comparison of former Tiger Justin Jefferson, while an AFC personnel executive said "(Ja'Marr) Chase was more of a dude physically and (Justin) Jefferson was already really skilled when he came out, but you can see some flashes of both of those guys with the way (Nabers) plays." He will have some proving to do if he wants to live up to those expectations, but he has all the necessary requirements to show teams what he is capable of. Highly regarded as a top receiver prospect in this class, Nabers is No. 3 on Bucky Brooks' Top 5 and No. 2 on ESPN's Best Available. He is a lock to be a first-round selection.
Height: 6 feet
Weight: 200 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.86
NFL.com overview: "Nabers is the next big thing coming out of LSU's receiver room, with the pure explosiveness and talent to be mentioned in the same breath as former LSU stars starring in the league today. Despite a lack of polish and precision as a route-runner, Nabers' gliding movements and speed alterations seem to disguise the top-end speed and separation potential that await opposing coverages. He's a bouncy leaper with the athletic ability to make the impossible catches possible. He tucks away accurate throws and displays the toughness and play strength to fight for tight-window victories over the middle. Nabers will need to address his tendency to track and play deep throws with finesse, or his early advantages will turn into 50/50 battles. He can play all three receiver spots and has the profile to become a productive, high-volume target over all three levels as a potential WR1."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Wide Receiver | No. 4 Keon Coleman | Florida State
Coleman, a native of Opelousas, enters the 2024 NFL Draft with a player comparison of Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London. As a former basketball player, he has the size and athleticism to catch contested balls with regularity. His speed does not necessarily jump off the screen, having run a 4.61 at the combine, but if he improves as a route runner he can be a solid WR2 option on the outside. At his current state, Coleman could do some damage as a red zone threat in the slot. His 38-inch vertical jump with be a dream for quarterbacks who need a reliable option to send 50/50 balls to in pressure situations. A lackluster 2023 season has led scouts to be divided on him as NFL.com has him listed as the fourth-best receiver while ESPN has him as the eighth-best in his class.
Height: 6 feet 3
Weight: 213 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.25
NFL.com overview: "Above-the-rim artist with circus catches resembling a scene from the tents of Cirque du Soleil. Coleman has excellent size and ball skills. He's not sudden and doesn't have great speed, so beating press and creating breathing room against tight man coverages will depend on his ability to improve as a route-runner. The former star basketball player has a rebounder's blend of extension and timing to give jump-ball defenders the blues. He's big and strong with soft hands, but he can play with a little more aggression in claiming his deep-ball space and getting after it as a run blocker. Coleman might lack the athletic traits to be a well-rounded WR2. Instead, keep an eye on him as a big slot receiver who can be a red-zone specialist."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Wide Receiver | No. 5 Brian Thomas Jr. | LSU
Thomas Jr. is another Louisiana prospect at the top of the wide receiver draft class. A native of Walker, the former LSU Tiger joins fellow Louisianans Keon Coleman and Malik Nabers in the top 5. Thomas is looking to prove to scouts that he has all the skills necessary to be a Day 1 starter in the NFL. While he needs a bit more refining before he gets to WR1 status, he can certainly get there in time due to the tools he has. NFL.com has Thomas Jr. as the fifth-best receiver in his class while ESPN has him ranked at No. 4. He will likely be a Day 1 selection due to his size and physical prowess as well as his ability to be shaped into whatever sort of receiver a team needs.
Height: 6 feet 3
Weight: 209 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.44
NFL.com Overview: "Presents an appealing combination of size, length and speed with experience working inside and outside. Thomas will occasionally go through the motions as a route-runner, but the bend, athleticism and speed needed to get better are all in the toolbox. He's elusive against press and can uncover quickly underneath, but he still needs to improve intermediate routes and play a little more physically when crowded to become well-rounded. Thomas rarely has issues generating separation deep and could be counted on as an NFL team's designated deep guy early in his career. Thomas is unpolished but has projectable talent to become a WR1/2 in time."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Tight End | No. 1 Brock Bowers | Georgia
Bowers is entering the 2024 Draft with one of the most star-caliber player comparisons of the year - 49ers tight end George Kittle. The comparison comes from his ability to be a highlighted piece of an offense in the passing game and his explosiveness with the ball in his hands. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has dubbed Bowers a player with "Pro Bowl upside," which could be the case if Bowers is able to replicate the same amount of success in the NFL that he saw at Georgia. An NFC scouting director said about Bowers: "He doesn't have (Kyle) Pitts' freaky measurables, so he may not carry the same grade, but he's going to keep doing what he's doing now because the way he plays translates."
Height: 6 feet 3
Weight: 243 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.71
NFL.com Overview: "Prolific pass-catching tight end with a rare blend of acceleration, speed, body control and hands that could breathe new life into a stale NFL offense. Bowers was a high-volume target at Georgia and led the team in receiving yards in all three of his college seasons. He plays with relentless pacing as a route runner, allowing him to beat man coverage. Also, he's highly effective at exploiting zone pockets for first downs and chunk plays. Bowers' secret sauce might be his ability to rip through tacklers and pile on yardage after the catch. He'll be an adequate move blocker and give effort at the point of attack, but that is the one area where his game falls short of George Kittle's, for comparison purposes. Bowers is an explosive athlete but lacks the premium measurables typically associated with early first-rounders. It might take a year for him to acclimate to defenders who are bigger, faster and longer, but he appears destined to become a highly productive NFL player with Pro Bowl upside."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Tight End | No. 2 Ja'Tavion Sanders | Texas
Sanders enters the 2024 Draft as the consensus No. 2 tight end according to NFL.com and ESPN. He has been given a player comparison of Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku by NFL.com, which holds him to high expectations from the start. Sanders is not as consistent as some teams would like when it comes to run blocking, but once teams see what he can bring to the passing attack, they will likely grab him. He has shown the ability to excel at running seam routes and catching intermediate zone throws, and his ability to rack up yards after the catch make him a reliable target for any quarterback.
Height: 6 feet 4
Weight: 245 pounds
NFL.com Draft Grade: 6.37
NFL.com Overview: "Talented pass-catching tight end with an exciting floor if he can handle the rigors of the pro game. Sanders possesses an average build, but he has room for more muscle. He flashes as a run blocker, but he isn't consistent at the point of attack. He can get up the field from in-line or from the slot, beating man coverage at his route stems or separating quickly from turns. He is able to dig in and win combat catches underneath and has proven to be highly effective running the seam or catching intermediate throws into zone pockets. Teams looking for a tight end with a more complete game might pass on him, but his potential to open up the passing game and become a highly productive pass-catcher should be hard to pass on."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Tight End | No. 3 Cade Stover | Ohio State
Stover comes into the draft with a player comparison of Jake Ferguson of the Dallas Cowboys. Because of his time playing basketball in high school, Stover excels at getting to the ball at the highest point and hauling in contested catches. His speed doesn't really kick in until later in the route, but he can hit that speed pretty consistently. He will need a little bit more development before he becomes a bonafide starter, but he has the skills required to make an impact on the offense a few years into his career. He is the third-best tight end on both NFL.com and ESPN, so scouts seem to be in agreement about where he will fall.
Height: 6 feet 4
Weight: 247 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.26
NFL.com overview: "Catch first, block second tight end whose jump in play as a receiving threat is going to be hard to ignore. Stover is a tight end conversion from the defensive side of the ball. He's a little clunky getting off the line but really picks up the pace as the route unfolds. He starred as a high school hooper and that same athleticism can be found in his route running, high-point timing and run after catch. Stover possesses the tools to move in a positive direction as a run blocker but needs to upgrade his grit at the point of attack and effort as a move blocker. He's an upside prospect with the potential to play in-line or flexed out and should become a productive starter within a couple of years."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Tight End | No. 4 Theo Johnson | Penn State
Johnson has the exact frame that teams are looking for when it comes to tight ends. At 6 feet 6 and 259 pounds, he has enough size to bully his way through tackles or blocks. The biggest negative facing Johnson as he enters the draft is that his skills are all about average as of right now, making him a development prospect. He would be the ideal pick for teams with an older, solidified tight end that can teach Johnson the ins and outs of the position at a professional level. Teams that are needy at the tight end role, however, may find that his production at the beginning is not up to par with what they'd want. He has been given a grade of 6.15 by NFL.com, which signifies prospects that will be a "Good Backup With The Potential To Develop Into Starter."
Height: 6 feet 6
Weight: 259 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.15
NFL.com overview: "Highly recruited out of high school, Johnson looks the part with an above-average frame and traits. While teams might want to place him in an elevated silo for consideration, they might not find the consistency or high number of flashes on tape that they were expecting. Johnson's run blocking is below average for his size, and adopting a glass-eating mentality in conjunction with technique work could help him improve in that area. He'll make contested catches and is adequate against man coverage, but he lacks dynamic qualities as a pass catcher. Traits will work in his favor, but there is work to be done to become anything more than an average backup."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Tight End | No. 5 AJ Barner | Michigan
Barner is sort of the exact opposite of the other tight ends in his draft class. While the other tight ends listed in the top 5 have been primarily pass-catching tight ends, Barner is more of a run-blocking player with very little upside in the passing game. He will likely begin his career as a backup, seeing playing time in jumbo packages, but as his career progresses and he learns more, he may start to get a few more reps. He is a solid locker room guy with the mentality of attacking each practice as if it was a gameday, but his one-dimensional skill set may only allow him to get so far.
Height: 6 feet 6
Weight: 251 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.10
NFL.com overview: "In-line tight end who continues improving as a run blocker but is unlikely to offer much as a pass catcher. He was a captain at Indiana before transferring to Michigan, and scouts say he attacks practices and weight training with a single-minded obsession to get better and compete. He's technically sound in the early stages of the run block but needs to improve with his positioning to create better lanes for the runner. He can handle some pass protection but needs to keep improving. Barner's role might be a little limited as a blocking Y tight end with below-average pass-catching traits, but he should earn playing time in the future."
