04/26/24 10:39:00
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04/26 10:37 CDT Bevy of defensive playmakers are available in Round 2 of the
NFL draft after historic offensive run
Bevy of defensive playmakers are available in Round 2 of the NFL draft after
historic offensive run
By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer
The unprecedented run on quarterbacks, wide receivers and pass protectors in
the NFL draft 's opening round pushed plenty of standout defenders down the
board and allowed some of the top teams to select players who normally wouldn't
fall to them.
It also shoved plenty of first-round worthy defenders into the second round
Friday, led by Cooper DeJean, the Iowa cornerback who broke his lower leg in
November but has been cleared to return to football activities.
DeJean is one of the best ballhawks in this class and also one of the best punt
returners available, having averaged 13.1 yards per return over the last two
seasons.
Other defenders who will almost certainly hear their names called early Friday
night when teams have had a chance to gather their thoughts and dive into the
second round include Texas A&M inside linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Alabama
cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Cooper led the Aggies in tackles (84), tackles for loss (17) and sacks (8).
McKinstry, besides having among the coolest names in the draft, is seen as a
plug-and-play performer.
McKinstry is like DeJean in two ways in that he's an elite punt returner and
he's coming off an injury. McKinstry couldn't participate in drills at the NFL
scouting combine because of a broken bone in his right foot. But he ran at his
pro day on March 20 and then underwent surgery to repair the fracture. He's
expected to be ready to go by training camp.
Another name to keep an ear out for is Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan
Newton, one of the best interior pass rushers in this year's draft. He
pressured the quarterback more than 100 times over the last two seasons
combined and also had 13 sacks and 22 1/2 tackles for loss in 2022 and '23. He
didn't work out at the combine or his pro day after undergoing foot surgery
after the season.
The first defensive player off the board Thursday night was UCLA edge rusher
Laiatu Latu, who is coming off a senior season in which he had 13 sacks and 21
1/2 tackles for loss. The Indianapolis Colts chose him with the 15th pick after
a record half-dozen quarterbacks, four offensive linemen, three wide receivers
and a tight end were taken.
The latest the first defender had come off the board in previous drafts was
eighth in 2021 when the Carolina Panthers selected cornerback Jaycee Horn.
In all, the first round featured the six quarterbacks selected along with seven
wide receivers, nine offensive linemen and a tight end. On defense, there were
five edge rushers, three cornerbacks and one lineman drafted.
That's 23 players on offense, nine on defense.
"The one thing we did feel, and I think everyone around the league felt, was
it's a receiver-heavy draft (and) there were some talented quarterbacks,"
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said. "You just do the math, then you thought,
all right, who's going to be the first defensive player drafted?
"But I don't think there was a big surprise around the league the first 10, 12
(were on offense). ... So, I think when you have that receiver class with the
quarterback class that it is a little bit historic. It doesn't happen that
often. And then you have the tackles. So, I think that league-wide we felt
there was going to be more offensive players taken in the first half of the
draft."
The second half, too.
Of course, some of the top talent available in Round 2 also is on offense. That
includes wide receivers Ladd McConkey of Georgia and Adonai Mitchell of Texas.
McConkey might have slipped into Day 2 because of his injury-riddled 2023
season in which he dealt with ankle, knee and back ailments while catching 30
passes for the Bulldogs, two for touchdowns.
On the clock first Friday are the Buffalo Bills, who traded out of the first
round in deals with the Chiefs and Panthers.
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