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1 of 5 | South Carolina backmost Spencer Rattler is among nan players who improved their banal during nan pre-draft process. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, April 24 (UPI) -- Spencer Rattler, Michael Penix Jr. and Keon Coleman are among nan players galore experts, including erstwhile scouts, opportunity could sneak into nan first information of this week's 2024 NFL Draft.
Wide receivers Xavier Legette (South Carolina) and Adonai Mitchell (Texas) and Western Michigan walk rusher Marshawn Kneeland are among different prospects who person worked their measurement into first-round consideration. The draught will beryllium held from Thursday done Saturday successful Detroit.
Rattler, nan erstwhile South Carolina quarterback, isn't often seen successful nan first information of mock drafts. He followed an awesome last play for nan Gamecocks (3,186 yards, 19 scores, 8 interceptions) by earning Senior Bowl MVP honors. He past showed disconnected his limb talent and mobility astatine nan scouting harvester and his pro day.
"He's grown up a ton passim his profession and transferring from Oklahoma and [is a] two-time captain," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, a erstwhile scout, said during a pre-draft convention call.
"They rave astir him astatine South Carolina. There's a batch to for illustration astir him. Again, not nan biggest guy, but a existent unrecorded limb and personification who I think's sewage a shot."
Former USC backmost Caleb Williams is wide expected to subordinate nan Chicago Bears arsenic nan No. 1 wide pick. LSU's Jayden Daniels, North Carolina's Drake Maye and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy are among nan different passing prospects drafting nan astir buzz.
But Washington's Penix, Oregon's Bo Nix and Rattler besides could subordinate quarterback-needy NFL teams early on.
Emory Hunt Jr., a recruiting and scouting advisor and owner of Football Gameplan, told UPI he believes nan caller inclination of accrued transferring for collegiate athletes -- including Rattler and Penix -- apt helped their draught stock.
Name, image and likeness offers and extended collegiate careers because of COVID-19 besides led to nan activity -- and much clip connected nan field.
"We're getting guys who person now played a batch of games," Hunt said. "So we're seeing them create and flooded nan adversity. We're talking astir Rattler, [Florida State quarterback] Jordan Travis, Nix and Penix. Had those guys travel retired erstwhile their existent eligibility was up, past possibly location would beryllium much questions astir them.
"Now, I consciousness for illustration we person a beautiful bully image connected what they tin do, really they tin can win and what their agelong word projection is."
ESPN's Matt Miller, a erstwhile head of scouting and recruiting coordinator, said during his pre-draft convention telephone that he "wouldn't beryllium shocked" if Penix, nan nation's passing yards leader, was a Top 15 pick.
The quarterbacks -- and players astatine different positions -- person been risers passim nan pre-draft process, utilizing nan scouting combine, pro days, workouts and different opportunities to amended their banal since nan extremity of their collegiate careers.
By moving into earlier rounds, prospects will person longer -- and much lucrative -- rookie contracts. All draftees will person four-year deals, but first-round selections get fifth-year squad options attached to their first contracts.
The first prime successful nan 2nd information is expected to person astir $30 cardinal little than nan No. 1 wide pick, pinch later selections fixed progressively less-lucrative contracts arsenic nan draught unfolds.
The 2024 NFL Draft consists of 257 imaginable selections, but that full could alteration based connected transactions that hap successful nan coming days.
Legette, Coleman and Mitchell are among nan wide receivers who could beryllium targeted by teams pinch precocious first-round picks.
"He was incredibly productive erstwhile fixed nan opportunity," Miller said of Coleman, who totaled 658 yards and 11 scores past play astatine Florida State. "Super cleanable character, precocious shot IQ, a really bully competitor. I wouldn't beryllium shocked if we get into a tally of wide receivers if he gets into nan precocious first [round]."
This year's CB people sewage large boost aft @seniorbowl and cipher had a amended week than Louisville's @JarvisBrownlee3.
Checkout nan reactive sticky quickness successful this rep.
Brownlee was moving routes for dudes that'll play connected Sundays.
Not judge why group are sleeping on... pic.twitter.com/DVIWQrvNEO— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) April 18, 2024
Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan, Louisville cornerback Jarvis Brownlee, TCU cornerback Josh Newton and Rutgers cornerback Max Melton were among different players Jeremiah, Miller, Hunt and different evaluators mentioned who person improved their banal heading into nan draft.
"Brownlee had specified a awesome pre-draft process and a really, really bully Senior Bowl," Miller said. "He showed he has nan footwork and toughness to really bent astatine nan statement of scrimmage and beryllium an wrong corner."
The first information of nan 2024 NFL Draft will aerial astatine 8 p.m. EDT Thursday. Day 2 of nan draft, pinch second- and third-round picks, will aerial astatine 7 p.m. Friday. Rounds 4 done 7 will aerial astatine noon Saturday.
All draught sum will beryllium shown connected ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network.
