The conversation around the NFL draft is always about the first few rounds.
Everyone knows about the star quarterbacks and the top players at the forefront of each position group’s depth chart. But each autumn, we learn about the biggest steals of the draft, young players who were selected on Day 3 and immediately became important players for their respective teams.
But who are those guys this time around? Who fits the bill in terms of talent, fit and opportunity?
Here are five players to keep your eyes on as the 2024 season develops.
If there’s any position to bet on with late-round choices, it’s running back. And with as much as the Eagles are willing to pound the rock, Shipley is a logical choice.
The fourth-rounder won’t see the majority of carries considering D’Andre Swift is the entrenched starter, but he was a three-year contributor at Clemson, running for 2,748 yards and 31 touchdowns. Look for him to play as a rotational back for Philadelphia.
Rice was one of the draft’s stunning developments, falling to the seventh round before he was finally scooped up by the Chargers. Yet, considering Los Angeles’ receiver room, Rice might have a chance to play a ton of snaps.
The Chargers released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen this offseason, replacing them with second-round pick Ladd McConkey and little else. At USC in 2023, Rice caught 45 passes for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns. The son of first-ballot Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, he has ample upside.
Much like Shipley and the Eagles, we’re talking about a running back with a run-heavy team. Although Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell are ahead of the fifth-rounder on the depth chart, the Ravens run enough so Ali could see touches, especially if Henry is managed to an extent.
At Marshall, Ali was extremely productive when healthy. In his two best seasons of 2021 and ’23, Ali combined for 2,536 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns. At 206 pounds, he provides a bit of youth for Baltimore’s backfield.
There’s no reason to think Sanders won’t see starter-level snaps for the Panthers in 2024. While Tommy Tremble is a veteran ahead of Sanders on the depth chart, he’s long been a backup-level piece.
The fourth-rounder started two years for the Texas Longhorns, catching 99 passes for 1,205 yards and seven touchdowns. At the scouting combine, Sanders ran a 4.69 40-yard dash time at 6'4" and 245 pounds. Expect the rookie to be a security blanket for second-year quarterback Bryce Young.
Baker might prove to be one of this draft’s steals. Projected as a Day 2 pick out of Central Florida, the Atlanta native was selected in the fourth round.
At UCF, the 6'1" and 202-pounder was a two-year starter after transferring from Alabama, catching 108 passes for 1,935 yards and 12 touchdowns. In New England, he’s going to have ample opportunity to play alongside fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk with No. 3 pick Drake Maye as his quarterback.
