The 2024 NFL draft is known for its top-heavy offensive talent, headlined by big names like Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr, and Brock Bowers. That being said, the defensive talent, especially at the top of the board is being very underrated. This 2024 EDGE class brings a wide variety of talented prospects who can all play.
Note: This list is curated as more of a favorites list; or a “my guys” list, not exactly the absolute best players from each position.
Bralen Trice
The first 2024 NFL draft prospect on this list is Washington’s Bralen Trice. At 23 years old, Trice is the oldest prospect of this group. However, he has shown more than enough production at a high level to warrant him being a strong selection on day two. Standing at 6’3.5 245, he has very solid NFL size, with the ability to bulk up for certain schemes/roles.
The Washington EDGE defender has made a living with effort. That is something you cannot teach and must value highly when considering a player to be your draft pick. Beyond being an effort-based rusher, Trice brings some nasty speed-to-power to his rush, bulldozing opposing offensive tackles. It is apparent on tape that Trice is a good stunter, especially when coming around to the B-gap on loops. This would make him a great fit in the new Mike MacDonald/Jesse Minter Michigan-esque schemes that are becoming increasingly popular in the NFL today.
The main knock on the Washington Product is that he lacks length, and leverage– at times. This will lead to him being completely locked out in the run game. This is if he is unable to use his burst to iniate contact and shorten the distance between himself and the tackle. That being said, the 2024 NFL draft prospect will likely be a very strong rushing option for any team that is in need of a powerful disrupter who can really take over games, when he has a favorable matchup.
Bralen Trice is a DE prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 7.49 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 436 out of 1734 DE from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/oC5t6BpN33 pic.twitter.com/hGgjVauaTr
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 2, 2024
Mohamed Kamara
Quite possibly one of my favorite prospects in the entire 2024 NFL draft, Mohamed Kamara brings a unique size to any EDGE room. Standing at a very small 6’1 248, many write Kamara off as “not big enough” and move forward in their draft process. The truth of the matter is that there is another player, from the same school, at the same size, who has been very successful in his NFL career. That player is Shaquil Barrett, a former 19.5 sack player.
Kamara’s size is used as much as of a positive than it is a negative. This shorter stature brings him natural leverage, which helps him win every rush attempted. He uses his natural leverage with power that is unmatched by most prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. Kamara’s power, leverage, and natural burst makes him a nightmare matchup for any offensive tackle. His strong 40-time of 4.57 also ranked third in the 2024 NFL draft class at his position.
Even after proving himself in the brightest of lights, after the Colorado vs Colorado State game, his doubters continued. The only knock for me on Kamara is- well- his length. At times it can hamper his ability to finish tackles and use movesets that require longer arms. Unfortunately, this leads to his over reliance on power and burst. That being said, the positives majorly out-weigh the negatives. Kamara is a very intriguing prospect in the 2024 NFL draft who deserves much more attention that he is currently getting.
Mohamed Kamara is a DE prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.62 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 227 out of 1637 DE from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/IeUNXahY8D pic.twitter.com/edwK3jfSPt
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2024
Cedric Johnson
One of the deeper sleepers in the class, Cedric Johnson is a very athletic rusher who can develop into a very good rusher in the near future. Some polish to his game is needed, which depending on where is selected, could happen very quick. Though he is currently ranked at 172 on the 2024 NFL draft consensus board, Johnson could easily develop and become a steal in the later rounds in the draft.
With an unofficial RAS score of 9.67, the athletic profile is the first thing you must talk about when you talk about Cedric Johnson. He may not have the first step quickness, but he definitely has a powerful one. He combines this with strong build up speed that can easily turn speed to power and topple over opposing tackles. The 2024 NFL draft prospect also has immense bend, which is highly coveted in the NFL.
The main concerns for Johnson is that he lacks a pass rush plan. He does not know what to do with his hands at times. Counters are very rare from him, and is currently an athlete out there. He also needs to work on his reaction time in the run game. However, all of these negatives can be fixed. Give Johnson a redshirt-like year and a good coach, and you may have a pro-bowler on your hands. A good value for a player ranked 172 on the consensus board.
Main Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
