The 2024 draft class made headlines for its star talent at the top of the draft. In rounds two and three, a few teams won day two of the NFL Draft by finding quality depth and potential starters.
The Teams That Won Day Two of the NFL Draft
Los Angeles Rams
After making a surprise run to the playoffs last season, the Rams entered this draft with holes to fill. Some expected them to target a quarterback to become the successor to Matthew Stafford. Instead, the team focused on bolstering the defense with their first two picks. The defensive line became a priority after Aaron Donald retired, and the Rams paid a high price to move up to pick Fiske. By trading a future second-round pick to the Carolina Panthers, the Rams moved up 13 spots to draft the defensive tackle out of Florida State. For a team that sees its window to compete for another Super Bowl as now, this move makes sense. Pairing Fiske with Jared Verse should give Los Angeles a solid tandem to build around as they keep adding young talent to the defense.
In the third round, Los Angeles picked Kamren Kichens out of the University of Miami. Heading into the 2023 season, Kichens was seen as a potential first-round pick. Last season did not go as expected for Miami or Kichens, but the safety is a ball-hawk who should have plenty of opportunities to make plays in Los Angeles. He gives this young defense a potential piece to build around, and the Rams got him with good value.
Green Bay Packers
For a team that entered the draft with only a few holes, the Packers were able to capitalize on an abundance of day-two picks. Addressing the linebacker position was a priority for Green Bay and they landed a top talent in Edgerrin Cooper. At Texas A&M, Cooper was a highly productive player and entered the draft as one of the top prospects at linebacker. Alongside Quay Walker, he can become a key contributor in the run game. The team doubled down on linebacker by adding Ty’Ron Hopper out of Missouri. In his final season at Missouri, Hopper was named a team captain. He brings experience and depth to the linebacker room.
The Packers continued their run on adding defensive players by drafting a high-upside safety in Javon Bullard. At Georgia, Bullard was a do-it-all player and played alongside a few current Packers defenders. By picking Bullard in the third round, the team hit all three of their needs heading into the draft.
Honorable Mention: Philadelphia Eagles
Many eyes were on Cooper DeJean after the Iowa star fell out of the first round. Philadelphia needed help in the secondary and smartly ended his slide with the 40th overall pick. The Eagles swapped picks with the Washington Commanders to select DeJean, and they did not have to give up too much capital to get the deal done. By adding DeJean, Philadelphia gets a player who can line up all across the secondary. DeJean’s ball skills at Iowa made him a highly sought-after prospect, making his slide even more precarious. Howie Roseman is one of the most aggressive general managers in the league when it comes to maneuvering the board and making trades around draft time. With DeJean, he gets a potential cornerstone player for the secondary and someone who can help improve a defense that underperformed last season.
In the third round, Philadelphia landed a developmental pass rusher in Jalyx Hunt. He is a player they can mold into a full-time starter in a few years. The team has quality starters on the defensive line for this move to pay off down the road. While it might take a few years to materialize, this pick makes the Eagles one of the winners of day two.
