NFL Player News

The Chargers selected Rice in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 225th overall.

The son of Jerry Rice, Brenden played his first two initial seasons at Colorado and had little success despite starting the entirety of his sophomore season. The target then hit the transfer portal, ultimately choosing to join Lincoln Riley at USC, where he compiled 1,402 receiving yards in two seasons. Rice's 12 touchdowns during his senior season led the team, but he struggled to do much with the ball after the catch and didn't look like a confident pass catcher when contact was approaching. He'll have every opportunity to earn a roster spot with a Chargers receiving corps that's devoid of proven names.

The Cowboys selected Flournoy in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 216th overall.

Flournoy (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) was a non-entity as a recruit and had to toil in the Missouri-area FCS ranks for four years before finally breaking out with Southeast Missouri State, but his numbers were excellent from that point and he followed it up with a dominant showing at the NFL Combine (4.44-second 40-yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical, 132-inch broad jump). Flournoy might be raw and doesn't have much of a developmental window at nearly 25 years old, but if his slow start can be explained by circumstances, he could prove a steal for Dallas.

The Rams selected Whittington (hamstring) in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 213rd overall.

Whittington was a five-star recruit back in 2019, but three straight seasons mired by injuries to begin his collegiate career effectively shut the door on the wideout capitalizing on his potential. The Texas product is a well regarded leader who compiled 1,157 receiving yards combined the previous two seasons after finally staying healthy, but a hamstring injury close to the NFL Combine ruined any shot at the 23-year-old rising higher in the prospect ranks.

The Cardinals selected Palmer in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 191st overall.

It's a bit of a surprise that Palmer was drafted prior to the seventh round, but he has some interesting traits. He stands at 6-foot-2 with 4.45 speed according to UAB's Pro Day data and was a Third Team All-AAC player in 2023. However, he will turn 24 in May. He caught 47 passes for 858 yards and seven touchdowns last season and began his career at Snow College in Utah. Even with the age concern, there are intriguing elements to his game if he can make a quick transition to the next level.

The Falcons selected Washington in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 187th overall.

Atlanta double-dipped on skill position depth in the sixth round, taking Alabama running back Jase McClellan and Illinois' Washington with back-to-back picks. Washington was not a lock to be drafted and did not receive a combine invite. An older prospect at 23 years old, he did not have a receiving touchdown until his fifth year in college. At his pro day, he ran a 4.46 in the 40 and had a strong 39.5-inch vertical jump. Washington does not have an obvious top-end trait that would portend a starting role in the NFL.

The Eagles selected Wilson in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 185th overall.

It's not hard to envision how the 6-foot-6, 231-pound pass catcher out of Florida State could make a difference at the NFL level, but the intimidating measurables are offset by unreliable hands (15 career drops), lethargic route running and difficulties revving up his speed both out of routes and after the catch. It's possible Wilson eventually transitions to tight end at some point in his career, but for now he joins a loaded Eagles receiving corps as a pure jump-ball specialist that may struggle to crack the 53-man roster.

The Dolphins selected Washington in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 184th overall.

Washington was expected to go a good two rounds earlier than this, so the former Virginia and Northwestern standout could prove to be a nice pick for the Dolphins this late. Washington doesn't look like your typical coach Mike McDaniel wideout at 5-foot-9, 191 pounds, and he lacks the lateral dynamism of wideouts like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but it seems like Washington should be able to assist the Dolphins offense if only in a small role. More specifically, at his height Washington is likely somewhat slot dependent, and unlike most slot wideouts he's more explosive vertically than laterally. With a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and standout hands, there should be enough here for McDaniel to figure something out, just perhaps never in a starting role for Washington.

The Titans selected Jackson in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 182nd overall.

Tennessee revamped its wide receiver corps this offseason with the addition of Calvin Ridley, who will pair with DeAndre Hopkins to dominate targets. After that duo, things are a bit murky, but Jackson isn't particularly likely to fill the void. He's undersized and not impressive athletically -- aside from his 4.42 40-yard dash time -- which limited him to the slot while at Tulane. He could be competing with Kyle Philips for a roster spot in training camp, as the duo overlap both in their role as slot receiver and also as an option to return punts.

The Saints selected Means in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 170th overall.

Means took awhile to settle into a program during his collegiate career, but things came together in his final two seasons of eligibility with Pitt. He turned in 41 receptions for 721 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season, though that production came when he was 22 years old. Means is a lengthy receiver (86th percentile wingspan) with plenty of size (212 pounds), making him an interesting player in contested catch situations by the goal line. He also lands in a decent situation, as the Saints lack reliable pass catchers behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

The Browns selected Thrash in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 156th overall.

Thrash (6-feet, 188 pounds) is a graceful wideout with good speed (4.46-second 40-yard dash) and was productive enough at Louisville and Georgia State for people to suspect he has real skill as a wideout. The problem for his pro projection is that Thrash looks and plays like a featherweight, meaning his otherwise graceful route running is liable to get knocked off course. Similarly, Thrash is unlikely to hold up well at the catch point if it's in the middle of traffic. Thrash might be something like Nelson Agholor at the NFL level -- a wideout ideally used situationally and one at his best when the field is wide open.