• The Bills still need a wide receiver: Two trade-downs pushed Buffalo out of Round 1, but the team now holds the 33rd overall selection and could easily add a pass catcher to open Round 2
• Look for the Cowboys to acquire a running back: Ideally, Jonathon Brooks will last until their second-round pick, with the Texas standout earning a 91.9 PFF rushing grade in 2023.
• Draft and trade for yourself: Try PFF’s Mock Draft Simulator — trade picks and players and mock for your favorite NFL team.
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Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft came and went. We had our share of reaches, and we saw some steals. Some units got immediate upgrades, while others will be hoping for a fruitful Day 2. As always, PFF was grading each and every pick of the first round and keeping tabs on the best remaining draft prospects.
Here is the biggest need for each team ahead of Day 2.
ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CIN | CHI | CLE | DEN | DAL | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
The Cardinals addressed major needs by drafting wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and edge defender Darius Robinson. They still have offensive line holes, though, and will almost certainly look that way with one or more of their four Day 2 selections.
Arizona could target UConn’s Christian Haynes, the 60th-ranked player on the PFF big board, who earned PFF grades above 80.0 in each of the past two seasons.
The Falcons were widely expected to be the first defensive-drafting team in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they shocked everyone by drafting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. They have the 43rd selection on Day 2 and could target Utah’s Jonah Elliss, who won 17.7% of his pass-rush reps in 2023.
The run of offensive tackles in the first round prevented the Ravens from addressing the position early, so there may be some pressure on them to move up from No. 62 on Day 2 to find a starter at the position. Notre Dame’s Blake Fisher, who earned PFF grades above 70.0 in each of the past two seasons, could compete at right tackle right away.
Two trade-downs pushed the Bills out of Round 1, but they now hold the 33rd overall selection and could easily add a pass catcher to open Round 2. Oregon’s Troy Franklin averaged 3.32 yards per route run in 2023 and earned an 82.2 PFF grade versus man coverage.
The Panthers liked wide receiver Xavier Legette enough to move up one spot at the end of the first round to draft him, continuing to build around quarterback Bryce Young.
Now they need to find impact defenders. The dream scenario would be landing one of the three top 32 players on the PFF big board who fell out of Round 1, with Illinois’ Johnny Newton, Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean at the top of the list.
The Bears don’t have a second-round pick, but after addressing their future at quarterback and wide receiver, they will likely turn to the defensive side of the ball in Round 3. An interior defender like Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro, who earned a 78.6 PFF run-defense grade in 2023, could fit the bill.
While the Bengals don’t really need to find starters on Day 2, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them address the defensive trenches after drafting offensive tackle Amarius Mims in the first round. The dream scenario would be Johnny Newton, who won 15.4% of his pass-rush reps in 2023 but remains available ahead of Day 2.
Like the Bengals, don’t be shocked to see the Browns turn their attention to the defensive interior when they finally make a selection on Day 2. Florida State’s Braden Fiske is older than what Cleveland typically likes, but his athletic profile would fit the bill.
After adding offensive tackle Tyler Guyton in Round 1, Dallas is largely expected to find a running back on Day 2. Ideally, Jonathon Brooks will last until their second-round pick, with the Texas standout earning a 91.9 PFF rushing grade in 2023.
Quarterback Bo Nix is a Bronco, and now it’s time to find him some weapons. Denver will have to wait until the 76th overall pick to do so, however — barring a trade-up. UCF’s Javon Baker could last until that point despite averaging 3.21 yards per route run in a highly productive 2023 season.
The Lions addressed the cornerback position in Round 1, but it is enough of a need that they may look to add even more depth at that spot. There are nine cornerbacks ranked inside the top 100 of the PFF big board who are still available after the first day of the draft.
If the Packers view Jordan Morgan as a future left tackle, then this need is for a guard. Either way, getting even more protection for Jordan Love is important. Kingsley Suamataia, who earned a 76.3 PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets in 2023, needs some development but has a sky-high ceiling.
After moving out of the first round in a pre-draft trade with the Vikings, the Texans will finally make a selection on Day 2. Their roster is constructed well, but they could benefit from a potential long-term starter on the defensive interior. Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus, who won 10.5% of his pass-rush reps in 2023, would make a lot of sense.
Edge defender Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player off the board, heading to the Colts at No. 15 overall, so their biggest remaining need is either at cornerback or wide receiver. Picking 46th on Day 2, they should pick from the next tier of available wide receivers.
Brian Thomas Jr. makes the Jaguars more exciting on offense, but they should turn their attention to defense on Day 2. They made a big splash in signing free agent Arik Armstead, and pairing him with a cost-effective rookie would help round out the position.
Many expected the Chiefs to be targeting offensive tackle Tyler Guyton when they traded up from No. 32 to No. 28 on Thursday night. That wasn’t the case, though, and Kansas City got faster by adding Xavier Worthy at wide receiver. Their current projected left tackle, Wanya Morris, earned a 55.6 PFF grade as a rookie in 2023, so don’t be shocked if they draft an offensive tackle in the second round.
Whether or not the Raiders would have drafted a quarterback in Round 1 became elementary when six signal-callers came off the board before their 13th overall selection. That makes them a potential landing spot for South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, who earned a career-best 92.5 PFF grade back in 2020 at Oklahoma.
The Chargers indeed opted for an offensive tackle over a wide receiver with the No. 5 pick in the draft on Thursday night, and they can feel good about that decision with the number of high-ceiling wide receivers still on the board. At the 37th overall pick, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, who averaged 3.26 yards per route run in 2023, would be a home-run selection.
Alaric Jackson earned a 66.6 PFF grade as the Rams’ starting left tackle in 2023. While that’s good enough to be an average starter, Los Angeles would benefit from drafting a developmental tackle Day 2.
Chop Robinson may add some explosiveness to the Dolphins’ pass-rush unit, but they have holes on the offensive line to address and are armed with just one pick on Day 2.
Miami, picking at No. 55, could look to add a long-term replacement to Terron Armstead, who has earned a PFF grade above 75.0 in every season of his career but turns 33 years old before the start of the 2024 NFL season.
It’s hard to fault the Vikings’ draft strategy when they landed a future starting quarterback and got value in grabbing edge defender Dallas Turner with the 17th overall selection in a trade-up with the Jaguars. If there’s one flaw in that plan, though, it’s that they still have a need at cornerback and now don’t pick again until the fourth round.
The Patriots landed a potential franchise quarterback in Drake Maye, but there’s no denying that New England’s supporting cast is not ideal for a young quarterback. With the 34th overall selection in the draft, the Patriots could look to immediately upgrade Maye’s weapons, with six wide receivers in the top 50 of the PFF big board still available.
The Saints were patient in Round 1 and landed a likely day-one starter in right tackle Taliese Fuaga. They can now look to improve their pass-catching corps in Round 2 as long as the run on wide receivers isn’t too severe. They could be the landing spot for a player like Michigan’s Roman Wilson, who averaged 2.68 yards per route run in 2023.
The Giants drafted Deonte Banks out of Maryland in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he showed enough flashes down the stretch last season, earning a 64.0 PFF coverage grade or better in four of his final five games. It’s still a position where New York could use more talent, and there are enough players still available to do just that on Day 2.
Garrett Wilson earned PFF receiving grades of 85.9 and 73.5 in his first two seasons in the league and the Jets added Mike Williams this offseason, so it’s not as if they lack talent at the position. However, considering the team’s small window to compete for a Super Bowl with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, adding more talent to that group would make a lot of sense on Day 2.
There is a high possibility that the Eagles’ top two linebackers in 2024 are Nakobe Dean, who has played just 229 snaps in two NFL seasons, and Devin White, who has yet to have a season with a 55.0-plus PFF grade in his five-year career. Payton Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper and Junior Colson could be options on Day 2.
Troy Fautanu will be a day-one starter for the Steelers, likely at tackle. Pittsburgh’s offensive line entered the draft with needs at multiple spots along the line, so the team could target a center early on Day 2. West Virginia’s Zach Frazier or Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, who earned a 90.6 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2023, would be a slam-dunk selection.
The 49ers added Isaac Yiadom, who is coming off a career-high 81.1 PFF grade in 2023, but they lack cornerback depth. There was some surprise when Iowa’s Cooper DeJean wasn’t that pick at the end of the first round, but they can look to make an addition there at the end of the second round.
The Seahawks went with interior defender Byron Murphy II in Round 1, and now they should shift to the interior offensive line in Round 3. They were heavily linked to Jackson Powers-Johnson in early mock drafts this spring but don’t pick again until Round 3, when Powers-Johnson will likely be off the board.
Many projected the Buccaneers to see a Round 1 dream scenario of a top edge defender falling to them. That didn’t happen, but it stands to reason that they could target an edge defender on Day 2. They could be the ideal landing spot for Houston Christian’s Jalyx Hunt, who won 18.9% of his pass-rush reps in 2023.
The Titans addressed their offensive tackle need on Day 1 and could look to grab one of the next group of edge defenders early on Day 2. Someone like Penn State’s Adisa Isaac, who won 13.0% of his pass-rush reps and earned an 82.4 PFF run-defense grade in 2023, could fit the bill.
The Commanders were heavily linked with trading back into Round 1 to grab an offensive tackle, but it didn’t materialize. They do have two of the top eight picks in Round 2 and could target someone like Houston’s Patrick Paul, who earned an 89.8 PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets in 2023.
