The 2024 NFL Draft is still many sleeps away, but it is never too early to start taking note of the prospects that will be available. The likes of Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. are fixtures in the conversation, and they have been since their high school days. But what about the more surprising players who have boosted their stock during the college football season?
In today’s article, we pinpoint the five biggest risers in the 2024 NFL Draft. I will gauge the “rise” by weighing where a prospect ranked on my Summer Big Board vs. where they currently rank. Without further ado, a superstar pass catcher from Oregon is flexing first-round potential.
2024 NFL Draft Riser — No. 1: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Arguably the biggest riser to this point of the regular season is Oregon’s Troy Franklin. He entered the year with a mid-to-late Day 2 grade on my Big Board but has since elevated to a strong, early Day 2 grade. With exceptional testing in the pre-draft process, Franklin could even find himself taken in Round 1 next April.
The primary concern with Franklin’s profile is his slender frame. Because he is so lanky, there is a chance the youngster can add bulk within an NFL strength and conditioning program. But until that comes to fruition, the standout wide receiver will struggle in the strength department.
Still, Franklin stands 6-foot-3 and is uber-competitive at the catch point. He boasts elite speed, probably sitting somewhere in the 4.3 range. The Oregon wideout is a threat to take any catch to the house, thanks to his trademark agility and elite change of direction.
Franklin comes out of his breaks clean and rarely has any wasted steps while running routes. His lack of size could push him into the slot as a rookie in the NFL, but assuming he can add some weight, there is untapped potential brimming from the ascending pass catcher.
2024 NFL Draft Riser — No. 2: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Let’s continue with another wide receiver. I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed Malik Nabers’ tape over the summer. But the Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze’s of the world garnered most of my attention at the position, which resulted in underrating Nabers in his own right.
The LSU star eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in 2022, but he has taken his play to another stratosphere this season. As the primary target for the Tigers, Nabers is on pace for more than 1,600 yards in 2023. His blend of playmaking after the catch and easy ability to separate makes for an exciting prospect.
He is 6 foot and weighs 200 pounds; anyone with eyes can see that Nabers is built for Sundays. The junior pass catcher earned a spot on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List thanks to otherworldly strength in the weight room and a remarkable burst on the gridiron.
Drops were one of the biggest red flags heading into the year, as Nabers was charged with 10 of them in his first two seasons. In 2023, in 63 targets, the potential first-rounder only has two drops on the stat sheet. Assuming the concentration drops are a thing of the past, Nabers has a direct line to being the second wide receiver taken at the 2024 NFL Draft.
2024 NFL Draft Riser — No. 3: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
Another player who likely should have graded out higher based on the 2022 tape is UCLA’s Laiatu Latu. However, his most glaring concern cannot be rectified until medical checks occur at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine. Latu was forced to medically retire while enrolled at Washington.
The Bruins' medical staff cleared the gifted pass rusher for action in 2023, but this is something NFL teams will have some hesitancy on until they see him with their own doctors. That clouded his projection on my Big Board, though his Round 2 grade was still respectable.
But Latu’s play in 2023 has made me more willing to bet on his health going forward. In terms of on-field production, there isn’t a single edge rusher in the country that is better than the UCLA superstar. Jared Verse and Dallas Turner included. No one is as natural at getting to the quarterback as Latu.
He currently ranks inside the top 20 after the latest Big Board update, while some folks even have Latu challenging for a top-five spot in the 2024 NFL Draft. The most recent PFF mock draft featured Latu coming off the board at No. 4 overall to the Denver Broncos.
2024 NFL Draft Riser — No. 4: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
Patrick Paul popped up on my radar while prepping for the 2023 NFL Draft. Ultimately, the Houston leader decided to return to campus for one final season. Paul looks brilliant right now, as he is sporting the best PFF grades of his five-year college career.
As a pass blocker, Paul’s length and impressive footwork allow him to stifle oncoming pass rushers with relative ease. His sparkling 94.8 PFF grade says as much. Four career sacks allowed in 1,548 pass-blocking sets stamps his case as one of the best in the 2024 NFL Draft.
One area of weakness is Paul’s balance and hand usage in the run-blocking phase. So far, his 2023 tape shows improvement, evidenced by a career-best 75.3 run-blocking grade. If an NFL coaching staff can smooth out the rest of his rough edges, Paul could sneak into the backend of Day 1 to a team like the Kansas City Chiefs.
2024 NFL Draft Riser — No. 5: Patrick Payton, EDGE, Florida State
Rather than sleeping on this final entry on the list, I was actually fairly early on Patrick Payton’s ascent up draft boards. He laid claim to a Round 2 grade entering the year and has since boosted that to a fringe Day 1 grade. The reason? Payton is showing elite flashes as a pass rusher in Tallahassee.
Playing opposite Jared Verse will make life easier for anybody, but Payton deserves flowers himself. His 13 total pressures on the season reads as a slight disappointment; there’s no denying it. However, he is consistently in the backfield, even if the sack eludes him in the end.
Finishing the play is a key area for development, but Payton often does the hardest part of the equation. At 6-foot-5 and weighing 239 pounds, the Florida State defender has the traits to be an outside linebacker at the next level. He is not bad in any phase of the game, profiling as the rare high-floor, high-ceiling prospect.
Payton’s best football is still in front of him. It’s not often that a player has a more successful NFL career than collegiate career, but this is an instance where that could be the case. Look deeper than the box score when evaluating any pass rusher, especially Patrick Payton.