Caleb Harris
I already chose instant impact newbies. Let’s go beyond that. How about complete classes with instant impact? Sounds fun.
Getting valuable contributions from several rookies can transform a team in a given year, as these players are as cheap as they come. NFL. Let’s rank the top 10 instant-impact classes of the 2024 draft.
Impactful newcomers: OT Joe Alt, WR Ladd McConkey, LB Junior Colson, RB Kimani Vidal
Alt has been a wall of Kevlar at Notre Dame the past two seasons and will, of course, be the starting offensive tackle for the Chargers, immediately guarding Justin Herbert. He brings immense height and freakish athleticism to the position. McConkey is a crafty separator with great speed, and while Colson may not be incredibly rangy, it’s a rarity for him to miss a tackle, and he moved up in coverage in his final season at Michigan.
The X-factor here is Vidal, who will start behind Gus Edwards on the depth chart – and perhaps JK Dobbins as well – but has the vision, contact balance and uneven cutting ability to be the boss back in November. He is so talented. Elusive, powerful and he hides behind his blockers.
Impactful newcomers: DT Byron Murphy, OG Christian Haynes, LB Tyrice Knight, TE AJ Barner, CB DJ James
Even the new Seahawks regime felt confident in the players’ abilities acquired by the Pete Carroll regime because this was a trench-based recruiting class for Seattle. Murphy brings electricity to the interior of the defensive line, and with his explosiveness, length and power, Haynes was the best pure offensive guard in the class.
Knight can absolutely fill the void left by Jordyn Brooks in free agency — think energetic run blocker — and Barner has the exact profile of a prospect who could be a more productive pro than he was in college. While he’s not fast for the position — 4.86 40-yard dash — his 34.5-inch vertical time and 7.02 in the three-cone drill suggest his acceleration and flexibility to separate. Plus, he can actually block.
James was one of many ultra-aggressive and productive slot defenders in the class. He will be put to good use by coach Mike Macdonald, who coached Marlon Humphrey in Baltimore for years.
Impactful Rookies: EDGE Jared Verse, DT Braden Fiske, RB Blake Corum, S Kamren Kinchens, DT Tyler Davis
The duo from the state of Florida will destroy the Rams’ defense early on. Verse had the best combination of bend and power among the edge rushers in this class, and Fiske was the best all-around athlete at the defensive tackle position in the class. Both never interrupt the game and have refined skills to make an instant impact.
I’m a little lower on Corum than most, but I realize he’ll be a comparable complement to the newfound Kyren Williams. Lots of screens. Kinchen’s film was First Heist caliber. If their disappointing pre-draft workout was a fluke, the Rams landed a top-tier playmaker on the back end. Davis helps fill out the defensive back room. His stack-and-shed abilities against the run and pure power to get upfield toward the quarterback will make him integral depth to Los Angeles’ defensive interior.
Impactful newcomers: QB Drake Maye, WR Ja’Lynn Polk, WR Javon Baker, TE Jaheim Bell
Don’t sleep on the impact this Patriots draft class will have in 2024. Yes, part of that is due to the fact that this was a New England franchise that was suddenly in dire need of stability at quarterback and dynamic talent at receiver. But this article is not just about opportunities. Maye was my QB2 in this class, slightly between Caleb Williams. He can make all the moves and will be creative beyond the intended structure of the game with his legs and uncorks some beauties on the run. Polk is a jack of all trades and tracks almost as well as his Top 10 teammate Rome Odunze on the field.
I got an early grade in the second round at Baker. While he’s not a Blazer, he does everything else the receiver normally translates to – releasing package at the line, bending his routes, and uncanny ability to make obstacles outside of his body frame. Bell may have been the best value in the entire draft. I mean it. This is a Chig Okonkwo-Isaiah H-type wingback with robust yards-after-catch talent that will make Maye’s checkdowns and swing passes more efficient.
Impactful newcomers: TE Brock Bowers, OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, CB Decamerion Richardson, RB Dylan Laube, S Trey Taylor
This was a sneakily good class, even if Bowers wasn’t filling a glaring need nor represented the best upside in the first round. The fact is that Bowers is a game-changing specimen who will help Garner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell’s effectiveness in Year 1 while also putting pressure on 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer, who is still just 22 years old.
JPJ will be a rock at any guard position he plays because of his width and mobility off the ball. Richardson was one of the smoothest athletes in the cornerback class, and Laube has the receiving ability to be an irritant and chain mover on third downs all season long. He was the discounted Blake Corum in this class and can be more elusive. Taylor is a big-bodied playmaker at safety, and this was a secondary that needed that. GM Tom Telesco worked here.
Impactful newcomers: WR Keon Coleman, S Cole Bishop, DT DeWayne Carter, RB Ray Davis, EDGE Javon Solomon
Coleman may not be a truly game-changing 1,000-yard wide rookie. In fact, I don’t believe he does. But with the amount of targets the Bills will have to replace, he will be an active part of the offense, and Josh Allen will likely look for his way into the red zone.
Bishop has the size, intelligence and pure speed to be a standout in Sean McDermott’s defense at safety. Carter is the outfield depth Buffalo desperately needed behind Ed Oliver, and the Bills rotate as much on offense and defense as any team in the world. NFL. Davis adds another pass-catching element to the James Cook-led backfield and provides punch in short-yardage situations. The guy is thick, not even 5’9″ and weighs 211 pounds. Solomon is my Bills sleeper. He has comparable size and length to Vikings first-round pick Dallas Turner – yes, and truth! – and was super productive winning in Troy.
Impactful newcomers: WR Malik Nabers, S Tyler Nubin, CB Andru Phillips, RB Tyrone Tracy, LB Darius Muasau
All five first-year pros will likely be benched in 2024 and will have the athleticism to thrive in their specific roles. Nabers was my WR1 in this class. Once he learns the full route tree, stay tuned. He will be able to do it all at receiver. Nubin’s average training scares me a little, but film of him as a free defender of the ball cannot simply be ignored. Phillips has elite explosive traits as a cornerback – and can play inside if needed. Tracy has free cutting skills and as a former receiver, he will be part of what the Giants want to do out of the backfield in the passing game.
Muasau gave me Matt Milano vibes in the movie about his instincts and flaming hair style. There are some advantages as a type of coverage also because of the fluidity with which he moves his hips.
Impactful newcomers: OL Jordan Morgan, LB Edgerrin Cooper, S Javon Bullard, RB Marshawn Lloyd, S Evan Williams, S Kitan Oladapo
GM Brian Gutekunst masterfully rebuilt the Packers so that the organization made a near-seamless transition from the Aaron Rodgers era to the Jordan Love era. Incredible. The last few draft classes have been excellent.
Morgan represents what has become the classic Gutekunst pick — a do-it-all, play-anywhere blocker with athletic skills and poise. Cooper needs to bolster his attacking efforts, but has a Quay Walker-like ability to explode and change direction with minimal hesitation in his game. Bullard is a blue-collar nickel/safety hybrid who hits like a huge linebacker.
Lloyd is the key to the class. At under 5-9 and 220 pounds with high-caliber explosiveness and speed, don’t be surprised when the Packers’ ground game is more efficient with him than with Josh Jacobs down the stretch this season. The final two safeties, Williams and Oladapo, are highly intelligent playmakers on all three levels of the field.
Impactful newcomers: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., DL Darius Robinson, RB Trey Benson, CB Max Melton, OL Isaiah Adams, S Dadrian Taylor-Demerson
The opportunity in Arizona certainly helps the high rating here for the Cardinals, but I like all these first-year pros making an impact in 2024. Of course there’s Harrison Jr., who could see 150-plus targets as a rookie. Robinson will be maximized inside as a “classy” interior rusher and run-stopping defender.
Benson was my RB1 with similar capabilities to Breece Hall. Melton and Taylor-Demerson are elite linear athletes who play with an aggressive, direct style, and Adams, if kicked inside to defend, has a chance to really move people forward.
Impactful newcomers: QB Jayden Daniels, DT Johnny Newton, CB Mike Sainristil, TE Ben Sinnott, WR Luke McCaffrey
These first five picks from GM Adam Peters were sensational. Denzel Washington Man On Fire type stuff from the new Commander GM. Daniels has all the dynamic skills to be that new-age, dual-threat passer who terrorizes defenses underneath, at the intermediate level, downfield and, yes, with his legs.
If Newton was able to practice before the draft, there is no way he will be available in the first round. He could be a defensive tackle with 50+ pressures as a rookie. Sainristil might be the annoying nickel corner who tackles like a champ, darts around the corner and sticks to slot receivers underneath, and Sinnott legitimately has Sam LaPorta-style athleticism and powerful YAC skills.
McCaffrey will likely make the least impact in this group, but his diverse route skills will likely help him get on the field and hit targets sooner rather than later.
