“What the heck just happened” – All of America after last night’s first round. There were some wild picks, but none crazier than the ones we’ll cover here. NFL fans will look back on these picks with the same disdain they did over these five picks last year (two worked out right). Let’s jump into the worst picks in the 2024 NFL Draft so far.
Worst Picks in the First Round of the 2024 NFL Draft
Michael Penix, QB, Atlanta Falcons
This is a layup. A gimme putt. It’s the easiest pick for the worst pick of the night. Penix is an old, oft-injured quarterback who was playing with three NFL-caliber receivers, most of an NFL offensive line and in a weak conference. Now at 24 years old, the plan is for him to sit behind Kirk Cousins? Who, need I remind you, will make $100 million the next two years and has a contract through 2027. Nothing quite like taking an old prospect who still needs to sit at eight overall.
Nate Wiggins, CB, Baltimore Ravens
The AFC North has a rich history of physical football, intense tackling habits, and trash talk. Wiggins is none of that, and will now have to cover or tackle Ja’Marr Chase, Amari Cooper, or George Pickens in six games this year. Wiggins is going to be on a lot of fans’ naughty list after Nick Chubb and Najee Harris stiff arm him into the shadow realm. Maybe he packs on 2o pounds between now and when it gets cold in Baltimore, or maybe he gets bullied by some physical receivers and rushers.
Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers
Legette produced less yards through four years of college than the WR4 on Texas did last season. Maybe his fifth year was a better embodiment of him as a player. Or maybe he was a super senior beating up on 20 year olds. The hit rate for players with Legette’s production profile are painfully low, and his closest pro comparison is Jonathan Mingo who is already on the roster. Time will tell, but Legette still needs polish, which is tough to say about an older prospect.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Speaking of older players, Pearsall will be 24 in his first month in the NFL and played with both Jayden Daniels and Anthony Richardson in college. He’s more of a refined product than Legette, but the 49ers need to move either Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk for this move to make sense. On that note, comparing Pearsall to either of those receivers isn’t fair to him, and could age extremely poorly for the offense as a whole.
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Brock Bowers rules, don’t get it twisted. The issue is that the Raiders just took Michael Mayer last year, already have two wide receivers who will earn targets, and needed help elsewhere. Best player available is great and all, but tight ends are one of the least valuable positions in football by contract value. They’re going to cannibalize each other, or the Raiders are going to run a nasty amount of 12 personnel, which would actually be pretty fun.
Main Photo Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
