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    Marco Enriquez | Wed, Mar 13th 2024, 6:50am EDT

4 NFL Draft Prospect Risers & Fallers (2024)

There is no offseason in the NFL. We have more information today than we did a few weeks ago. A week from today, we will have even more insight into what NFL teams will be doing during the draft. There are so many variables that factor into what raises and lowers draft stock for the 2024 class of NFL hopefuls. The combine and now free agency will continue to complete the picture for us, but as things stand now, here are some of my favorite risers and fallers in the NFL Draft.

NFL Draft Stock Up

Quinyon Mitchell (CB – Toledo) 

Quinyon Mitchell jumped Terrion Arnold in my cornerback rankings to establish himself as the CB1 of the class after an impressive NFL Scouting Combine performance. He is a playmaker with premier athleticism and the speed to keep up with the fastest pass-catchers in the league. Mitchell secured himself as a top-20 draft pick in April and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sneak into the top 15. In my current mock draft, I have him going 12 overall to the Denver Broncos. The prospect of pairing him with Patrick Surtain is too good to pass up for Sean Payton. The move would give the Broncos one of the most impressive and athletic DB duos in the league, even after the departure of Justin Simmons, which they will desperately need in a division home to both Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Jaylen Wright (RB – Tennessee)

The 2024 running back class is giving us the mid-off of the century. It does have a few bright spots, though, and Jaylen Wright is one of them. Wright showed out at the combine, posting elite explosiveness and speed numbers. He rose to as high as RB1 for some and currently sits as my RB5 of the class. While I don’t think that we see any running backs drafted before late round two, Wright has made a push to be drafted before the late rounds of the draft. I currently have him projected to be a third-round pick, No. 94 to the San Francisco 49ers. While he may have to sit behind Christian McCaffrey early on, he fits the Shanahan system well and reminds me a lot of former 49er Raheem Mostert.

NFL Draft Stock Down

Audric Estime (RB – Notre Dame)

Audric Estime may be the biggest disappointment from the combine after running an abysmal 4.71 40-yard dash. Slow runners at the running back position don’t always fail in the NFL but a 4.7 significantly narrows the path for Estime’s success. This athletic profile seems to be a Notre Dame type. Estime’s performance might push him down to the fifth round or lower. The good news for Estime is that, outside of his speed, he checks a lot of other boxes and may be able to carve out an early-down role for an NFL team. I have him projected to go in round six at pick 183 to the New York Giants. A team in flux after the loss of Saquon Barkley and the uninspiring addition of Devin Singletary could take a shot on a rookie ball carrier late.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (CB – Missouri) 

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. saw his stock drop tremendously after the combine. He is a smaller-framed corner but he held his own in the SEC. Unfortunately, his athletic testing will be another obstacle for him at the next level. He plays aggressively and looks more explosive than he was able to show on tape. There is still a path for Rakestraw to succeed but he most likely won’t hear his name called until day two of the NFL draft. I have him projected to go in round three at pick 89 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2024 NFL Mock Drafts

Here are a few early predictions for the 2024 NFL Draft. We’ll continue to add our 2024 NFL Mock Drafts leading up to the start of Round 1.

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