The NFL Draft 2024 is in the books. Might as well give you a very timely article of what happened and talk about the NFC North rosters after the draft.
NFC North Champ (2023 and 2024) Detroit Lions
Future at Cornerback baby! Lions needed corners beyond 2024 and they got two! Terrion Arnold fell and Lions moved up from 29 to 24 giving up a third round pick. Ennis Rakestraw fell to late Round 2 and the Lions snatched him up to double dip. Lions CB roomed transformed with Carlton Davis (traded pick 91 for him), Terrion Arnold, Rakestraw, Amik Robertson (FA) and Emmanuel Mosely (re-sign after injury). Holeless folks. Gave up a future 3rd for a potential stud future RT or RG in Manu with an extra 4th. Great special team player and RB/Safety in Vaki in extra Round 4 pick giving up their extra future 4th (Swift trade back to Philly). Mahogany could be a steal as a right guard in Round 3 as well. Wingo pass rushing DT.
| Rnd | Pick | Team | Name | Pos | College | ||
| 1 | 24 | Detroit Lions | Terrion Arnold | CB | Alabama | SEC | from Dallas[R1 – 6] |
| 2 | 61 | Detroit Lions | Ennis Rakestraw Jr. | CB | Missouri | SEC | |
| 4 | 126 | Detroit Lions | Giovanni Manu | OT | British Columbia | CWUAA | from Green Bay via NY Jets [R4 – 11] |
| 4* | 132 | Detroit Lions | Sione Vaki | S | Utah | Pac-12 | from San Francisco via Philadelphia[R4 – 14] |
| 6 | 189 | Detroit Lions | Mekhi Wingo | DT | LSU | SEC | from Denver via LA Rams, Buffalo, and Houston[R6 – 9] |
| 6* | 210 | Detroit Lions | Christian Mahogany | OG | Boston College | ACC | from Philadelphia[R6 – 21] |
Green Bay Packers
Filling holes. Replaced Bakhtiari with Morgan, replaced Campbell and LB depth with Cooper and Hopper, replaced 3 safeties (Bullard, Williams, Oladapo). Added a future RB with some good skills too in Lloyd. Double dipped at LB and triple dipped at safety. QB3 added with potential for QB2 in 7th round with Pratt.
| Rnd | Pick | Team | Name | Pos | College | ||
| 1 | 25 | Green Bay Packers | Jordan Morgan | OT | Arizona | Pac-12 | |
| 2 | 45 | Green Bay Packers | Edgerrin Cooper | LB | Texas A&M | SEC | from Denver via New Orleans[R2 – 10] |
| 2 | 58 | Green Bay Packers | Javon Bullard | S | Georgia | SEC | |
| 3 | 88 | Green Bay Packers | MarShawn Lloyd | RB | USC | Pac-12 | |
| 3 | 91 | Green Bay Packers | Ty’Ron Hopper | LB | Missouri | SEC | from Buffalo[R3 – 11] |
| 4 | 111 | Green Bay Packers | Evan Williams | S | Oregon | Pac-12 | from NY Jets[R4 – 3] |
| 5 | 163 | Green Bay Packers | Jacob Monk | C | Duke | ACC | from Buffalo[R5 – 16] |
| 5* | 169 | Green Bay Packers | Kitan Oladapo | S | Oregon State | Pac-12 | |
| 6 | 202 | Green Bay Packers | Travis Glover | OT | Georgia State | Sun Belt | |
| 7 | 245 | Green Bay Packers | Michael Pratt | QB | Tulane | The American | |
| 7* | 255 | Green Bay Packers | Kalen King | CB | Penn State | Big Ten |
Chicago Bears
Laughing at the Carolina Panther trade to get a franchise changing QB in Caleb Williams. Montez Sweat for Round 2 worth it for Chicago. Poles can GM folks. Interesting OT prospect from Yale in Round 3 and a punter in Round 4. Supposed to be a stud punter I guess.
| Rnd | Pick | Team | Name | Pos | College | ||
| 1 | 1 | Chicago Bears | Caleb Williams | QB | USC | Pac-12 | from Carolina[R1 – 1] |
| 1 | 9 | Chicago Bears | Rome Odunze | WR | Washington | Pac-12 | |
| 3 | 75 | Chicago Bears | Kiran Amegadjie | OT | Yale | Ivy | |
| 4 | 122 | Chicago Bears | Tory Taylor | P | Iowa | Big Ten | from Philadelphia[R4 – 8] |
| 5 | 144 | Chicago Bears | Austin Booker | DE | Kansas | Big 12 | from Chicago via Buffalo[R5 – 5] |
Minnesota Vikings
“Franchise QB” replacing Cousins and added a good EDGE rusher replacing Hunter with two trade ups. New kicker from Bama in Round 6 and Khyree Jackson in Round 4 gives some corner depth.
| Rnd | Pick | Team | Name | Pos | College | ||
| 1 | 10 | Minnesota Vikings | J. J. McCarthy | QB | Michigan | Big Ten | from NY Jets[R1 – 2] |
| 1 | 17 | Minnesota Vikings | Dallas Turner | DE | Alabama | SEC | from Jacksonville[R1 – 4] |
| 4 | 108 | Minnesota Vikings | Khyree Jackson | CB | Oregon | Pac-12 | |
| 6 | 177 | Minnesota Vikings | Walter Rouse | OT | Oklahoma | Big 12 | from Carolina via Jacksonville[R6 – 1] |
| 6 | 203 | Minnesota Vikings | Will Reichard | K | Alabama | SEC | from Houston via Cleveland and Denver and NY Jets[R6 – 16] |
| 7 | 230 | Minnesota Vikings | Michael Jurgens | C | Wake Forest | ACC | from Atlanta via Cleveland and Arizona[R7 – 9] |
| 7 | 232 | Minnesota Vikings | Levi Drake Rodriguez | DT | Texas A&M–Commerce | Southland | from Denver via San Francisco and Houston[R7 – 11] |
I don’t know who won the draft, but the Lions won the North in 2024 already. This will not backfire at all.