With the NFL 2024 Draft two weeks away, teams are starting to put up smoke screens and endorse false narratives. But what can’t be denied are teams with glaring needs and if the players in the draft can (hopefully) fill that need.
Here are the five teams that need to draft defensively, in alphabetical order.
🏈 Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have 11 draft picks, including the fourth and 27th picks in the first round.
🏈 NEED: Last season, the Cardinals were 30th in the NFL in sacks with 33.
🏈 PICK: With Pick #27—Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
It is unlikely that Laiatu Latu will fall to the 27th pick. The Cardinals then take Robinson, who is an athletic marvel. (Take note that Penn State athletes do remarkably well at the NFL Combine.)
Per Next Gen Stats, Robinson ran the fifth fastest 40-yard dash among 250+ pound edge rushers at the NFL Combine since 2003. The Cardinals must find a way to get those athletic gifts to be more productive on the field. Robinson only amassed 9.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in his two years at Penn State.
🏈 Detroit Lions
The Lions have seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Their picks include the 29th overall pick and the 61st (pick 29 in the second round) overall pick.
🏈 NEED: The Lions’ pass defense was not good last season. Detroit was 31st in passing yards allowed per game (257).
🏈 PICK: With Pick #29—Tyler Nubin, Safety, Minnesota
Per Lance Zierlein, “Talented safety prospect with size, length, and instincts that teams are looking for to shore up the back end. Nubin…will make his money as a ball thief.”
Last season, Nubin tied for sixth in the FBS with five interceptions. In his 12 starts, he collected 53 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and four pass breakups. He set the school record for his collegiate career with 13 career interceptions.
🏈 Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have 11 picks, including the 19th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
🏈 NEED: It might not be the most pressing, but the Rams must replace the irreplaceable Aaron Donald.
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🏈 PICK: With Pick #19—Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
Murphy may be the best defensive player in the draft. At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.87 in the 40-yard dash, had the fourth-fastest 10-yard split (1.69), and put up the third most bench reps (28).
And for his 2023 season on the field, Murphy had a career-high five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
🏈 Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have eight total picks, including the 22nd overall pick.
🏈 NEED: The Eagles secondary was not good. They allowed 255.7 passing yards per game (30th). They reclaimed CJ Gardner-Johnson in free agency but will need more.
🏈 PICK: With the 22nd pick—Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
First, I was disappointed to learn that “Kool-Aid” is a nickname, not his birth name.
From the NFC regional scout, “He’s a serious guy on the field and knows the ball. You rarely see him bust because he’s always prepared, and he’s really natural in coverage.”
McKinstry was a two-year starter at Alabama. He only had two interceptions for his collegiate career but had 23 pass breakups. Statistically, he was better in 2022, with one interception, 16 pass breakups, and returned 21 punts, averaging 15.8 yards per return.
On the opposite corner, Terrion Arnold stole some of his thunder in 2023. Arnold could go before Arnold; if not, either would be the Eagles’ pick.
With all the pre-draft hype surrounding the quarterbacks and wide receivers in this draft class, don’t sleep on the defensive players. There are legitimately four edge rushers and six secondary players that can be taken walking to the podium in the first round.
Who goes where will impact the defensive rankings. Stick with Razzball.com for all the defensive shake-ups that will occur.
