One under-the-radar player from each AFC team who could shine in 2024: Tyjae Spears, Nick Bolton make cut

Every year we are introduced to new NFL stars. Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams took the football world by storm in 2023, while Montez Sweat led two different teams in sacks. The Dallas Cowboys also introduced us to some stars, cornerback DaRon Bland, who recorded the most pick sixes in a single season in NFL history and Pro Bowl kicker Brandon Aubrey. Which players will take their games to new levels in 2024?

Below, we’ll discuss one player from each AFC team who is relatively under the radar right now but has star potential.

Let’s start with a hot take. There aren’t many “under the radar” players on the Ravens, but one is the man who is replacing Patrick Queen at linebacker. We saw how Queen fared playing alongside Roquan Smith. Why doesn’t Trenton Simpson also stand out?

Clemson’s third-round pick recorded just 13 combined tackles and one sack in 15 games played with zero starts in 2023, but in the regular season finale, where he managed to play a season-high 26 defensive snaps, Simpson recorded seven combined tackles , his one sack and two tackles for loss.

Additionally, CBS Sports NFL Draft expert Chris Trapasso was high on Simpson throughout the draft process:

“Trenton Simpson, who’s an off-ball linebacker, but was the No. 1 off-ball linebacker recruit a few years ago. From the little film I watched on Clemson’s defense, it kind of has some Micah Parsons-ability that they use him for.” very much like a blitzer and edge rusher,” Trapasso said. “He’s long, but very chiseled early in his college career. Trenton Simpson is a name to keep an eye on.”

The Bills picked up the fifth-year option on Greg Rousseau’s contract this offseason — keeping the former first-round pick in Buffalo for the next two years. In 2023, he recorded five sacks, a career-high 12 tackles for loss, and a career-high 18 QB hits. Rousseau, 24, has recorded 17 sacks in 46 career games and could be primed for his best season.

The Bengals’ pass defense has been abysmal in 2023, but that wasn’t Cam Taylor-Britt’s fault. In your second NFL For the season, the former second-round pick recorded 50 combined tackles and tied for the team lead in passes defended with 11 and interceptions with four in just 12 games played. If Taylor-Britt can stay healthy in 2024, he could be the key to a Bengals postseason run.

If Grant Delpit can stay on the field, he will have a career year in 2024. The former LSU Tiger recorded 80 combined tackles, a career-high 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed and one interception in 13 games played this season last season before his campaign was cut short due to a groin problem. He’s a fun piece to watch in Jim Schwartz’s scheme, and Cleveland has already financially committed to it.

Marvin Mims is a player Broncos fans want to see more of in 2024. In Week 2 against the Washington Commanders, he reached over 20 mph on three of his four touches in the first half, becoming just the third player to do it in a while since then. 2018, by next gen statistics. Mims gained +70 receiving yards above expected on two catches, and added +31 punt return yards above expected on his only return that first half as well. Mims caught five passes for a total of 186 yards and a touchdown in Weeks 2-3, but finished the season with just 377 yards and a touchdown on 22 receptions. Why wasn’t it used more? I’m not sure.

Courtland Sutton is worried about his contract, Jerry Jeudy was traded and Denver has a new quarterback. Maybe 2024 will be the year for Mims.

Christian Harris has certainly stood out to Texas fans in 2023, but he’s not a household name. In your second NFL season, Harris recorded 101 combined tackles, two sacks and seven passes defensed. In the wild card round against Cleveland, he made eight tackles, recorded a sack and also picked off six. It’s fair to say that DeMeco Ryans has been great for his development and Harris could be ready for stardom.

Here’s an interesting name. The former third-round pick from Virginia missed the entire 2023 season due to injury but caught 25 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie in 2022. Jelani Woods could be Anthony Richardson’s security blanket in 2024. Shane Steichen saw how tight ends can make life easier for defenders during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, so the 6-foot-2 former all-state basketball player could be utilized as a unique weapon in Indy.

The rookie from Oklahoma started all 17 games for the Jaguars in 2023. Anton Harrison didn’t necessarily rack up Pro Bowl votes, but he adapted and improved as the year went on. All of Harrison’s sacks allowed came during the first eight games of the season, while he has not surrendered any sacks in the last nine games, per PFF (H/T Jacksonville.com). Expect a big jump in year two for Harrison.

This would have been my answer for the Chiefs last year as well, but Nick Bolton missed more than half of the 2023 season with a dislocated wrist. So he will continue to fly under the radar of football fans outside of Kansas City, but I expect a big campaign with Bolton in a contract year.

In 2022, Bolton accumulated 180 combined tackles (second among all players), two sacks and three passes defended, in addition to two interceptions. He could have won Super Bowl MVP in the win over the Eagles, recording nine combined tackles and a fumble recovery that he recovered for a touchdown.

Trevon Moehrig did his best NFL season under Antonio Pierce, recording 83 combined tackles, his first two career sacks, eight passes defended and three interceptions. Career numbers across the board. The Raiders could have a top-10 defense in 2024, and Moehrig patrolling the secondary will be the reason for that. Moehrig’s NFL career has been a rollercoaster thus far, but I imagine his best days as a player are ahead of him.

Derwin James is the standout of Los Angeles’ safeties, but Alohi Gilman is also very good. In fact, PFF ranked Gilman as the #18 Security Entering 2024. I bet you wouldn’t have guessed that. Gilman had a career year in 2023 despite missing three games, recording a career-high 73 combined tackles, 10 passes defended, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. His 89.2 PFF coverage grade in 2023 ranked fifth among all safeties. The Chargers locked up Gilman with a two-year, $11 million extension. This could be a robbery.

The Dolphins were a tough team heading into this exercise, but running back De’Von Achane appears to have legitimate star potential. The rookie rushed for 800 yards and eight touchdowns on 103 attempts, and caught 27 passes for 197 yards and scored three more touchdowns through the air. He achieved all this in just 11 games played. In his second NFL game, Achane rushed for 203 yards and scored four total touchdowns! From Weeks 3 through 5, he cruised for 100 rushing yards at a time before a knee injury placed him on injured reserve. Like many of the players discussed in this article, health will be important for Achane moving forward.

The Dolphins have an epic running back room with Raheem Mostert, rookie Jaylen Wright and Jeff Wilson Jr., but Achane might be the one that stands above the rest. His 72.7 rushing yards per game ranked fifth in the NFL, and he averaged one touchdown per contest.

As a rookie, Keion White recorded 26 combined tackles, one sack and three passes defensed. With Jerod Mayo now at the helm, he is ready to take the next step. In fact, Mayo has already talked about being impressed with last year’s second-round pick.

“Yeah, look, his versatility, he’s always been a strong guy, but I would say he’s even stronger now and he’s doing a good job,” Mayo told reporters. “He’s here every day, and in the meeting rooms, he’s actually talking and leading these conversations, which I think is important. And we always talk about that Year 2 leap, that’s the biggest leap you’re taking.”

I don’t like using newbies in these pieces, but Malachi Corley certainly sleeps. Known as the “King of YAC” after leading the FBS in yards after catch the past three years, Corley was dubbed by Aaron Rodgers as his “favorite receiver in the draft.” Although Corley appears to be an elusive spark plug, Garrett Wilson also described him as a “bowling ball.” He’s someone to keep an eye on – especially since he may have Rodgers’ blessing.

Pat Freiermuth caught seven touchdowns in his rookie season, crossed for 700 yards the following year, but then came 2023. He missed five games with a hamstring injury and caught 32 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns — all low numbers in the season. career . Freiermuth said Arthur Smith’s new offense is “very exciting” for tight ends, and he could be on to something. Under Smith, Kyle Pitts became just the second rookie tight end in NFL history to cross 1,000 receiving yards, and the first rookie tight end to make the Pro Bowl in nearly two decades. Smith also found success using Atlanta’s TE2 in Jonnu Smith, who caught 50 passes for 582 yards and a career-high three touchdowns last season. Pitts and Smith finished in the top 15 in receiving yards among tight ends in 2023 and in the top 18 in targets. No other NFL team had two tight ends rank that high in any statistical category.

I was nervous when it was reported shortly after he was drafted that Tyjae Spears was missing an ACL and already had arthritis, but he quickly won over coaches, teammates and fans in one season with the Titans. The Tulane boy rushed for 453 yards and two touchdowns on 100 rushing attempts, and caught 52 passes for 385 yards and a score through the air. People don’t realize that Spears’ 838 yards from scrimmage ranked 10th among all rookies.

Spears is a dual-threat weapon, and although Tony Pollard was signed this offseason, head coach Brian Callahan has made it clear that the second-year wing will have a role in this offense.