We're one month away from the 2024 NFL Draft.
Which means mock drafts are flying, speculation is buzzing and NFL teams are hard at work building and tweaking their draft boards.
Every year, certain positions stand out as being deeper than others in the respective draft class. Looking at the 2024 class, which positions will teams be able to find the most value in during the three-day event (April 25-27)?
Steve Muench of Scouts.com and ESPN recently ranked the positions by order of depth and wrote the following:
The first three picks of the 2024 NFL draft are trending toward being quarterbacks, and we could see four off the board in the top 10 for the first time since 2018. Top-ranked passer Caleb Williams (USC) is in the conversation with Trevor Lawrence (2021) and Andrew Luck (2012) when it comes to my highest-graded quarterback prospects of the past 20 years.
Outside of the QB class, it could be a historic Round 1 for a loaded wide receiver class, and the offensive tackle class is one of the best I've scouted since 2014. So which positions are the deepest and which are the thinnest this year?
I ranked every position of the 2024 class based on the top-to-bottom depth and overall quality, using the Scouts Inc. rankings as a guide.
Muench also noted that "teams might have to work harder to find players on Day 3, as only 58 underclassmen declared for this draft, the fewest since 2011."
As mentioned, the receiver class is stacked with talent. For each position, Muench the "ideal time to draft for best value," and he said the following for wideouts:
UCF's Javon Baker, USC's Brenden Rice and Washington's Jalen McMillan project as late-Round 2 or early-Round 3 picks. They could be potential steals there. All three have the potential to develop into No. 2 receivers early in their NFL careers.
Oregon State's Anthony Gould, Arizona's Jacob Cowling and USC's Tahj Washington are undersized slot receivers with Day 3 grades who could contribute early in multiple receiver sets.
Muench listed offensive tackle as the next-deepest position, followed by quarterback and then cornerback. He noted T.J. Tampa (Iowa State) and Max Melton (Rutgers) as two corners who have second-round grades and that "you should be excited if your favorite team lands either one of them on Day 2."
Cornerbacks were followed by edge rushers, defensive tackle, tight end, safety, linebacker, center, running back and guard.
Muench said only two defensive tackles have first-round grades, and 10 fell into Scouts.com's list of top 100 prospects.
There are a number of college defensive tackle tandems with draftable grades. Texas and LSU have two defensive tackles in my top 100 while Illinois, Florida State and Clemson have two defensive tackles who should be drafted.
Justin Eboigbe is a Day 3 sleeper worth mentioning. He was overshadowed at Alabama and had underwhelming workouts, but he had seven sacks last season and there's a lot to like about his tape.
Guard fell all the way to the bottom of this year's class because, according to Muench, only three landed in the top 100 – and they all have third-round grades. He did add the following disclaimer:
If teams view [Taliese] Fuaga or [Troy] Fautanu as guards, that would strengthen this class substantially. There are other college offensive tackles in the top 100 that will likely be kicked inside (like Kansas' Dominick Puni), so grading this class is tricky.
Click here to read Muench's full breakdown.
'Team Smith' takes home NFLPA Classic championship belts
A team of four familiar faces emerged champions of the recent NFLPA Classic.
Hosted in Riviera Maya, Mexico, the second annual golf tournament "offered a unique opportunity for 64 NFL players and their families to participate in a memorable, world-class experience while strengthening bonds beyond the gridiron."
Vikings safety Harrison Smith captained the winning team that included three former teammates: Eric Kendricks, Adam Thielen and Case Keenum.
The last time the four competed together? The 2017 season, during which Minnesota finished 13-3 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game following the Minneapolis Miracle.
Team Smith took down Team Kmet (Cole Kmet, Younghoe Koo, Nathan Peterman and former Vikings backup QB Trevor Siemian) in the finals to earn the "Scramble Champions" belts.
Tickets on sale for annual celebrity softball game
A fan-favorite event is returning to CHS Field on May 30, and tickets are now on sale.
Vikings fullback C.J. Ham is teaming up with Thielen, his former Vikings teammate and fellow Minnesota native, to host an annual celebrity softball game to benefit Thielen Foundation and the Ham Family Scholarship Fund.
The softball game will pit Vikings defensive players against Vikings offensive players. The family-friendly evening also will feature a home-run derby, in-game giveaways, a silent auction, merchandise and more.
Click here for more information and to purchase your tickets.
