Five Potential 2024 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch This Weekend
Josh Frey
|
Week 1 of the college football season is officially underway this week, and we have a full slate of games to watch on Saturday.
As college football ramps up, it offers an opportunity to get a first glimpse at some potential 2024 NFL Draft prospects for the first time this fall. Here are five potential prospects to watch on Saturday who could be on the Vikings’ radar next spring.
Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel
Back in May, I put together an early 2024 NFL mock draft. In that mock, I sent Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel to the Minnesota Vikings in the first round.
With Kirk Cousins entering the final year of his contract, the Vikings will certainly have their eyes on the QB position next spring. However, their decision of whether or not to ultimately select one may depend on where they end up in the standings.
Gabriel has been a starter since his freshman season at UCF. Throughout his collegiate career, the QB has progressively improved his accuracy as a passer. He also obtains the added wrinkle of being a relatively mobile player, rushing for 315 yards and 6 TDs during his first season at Oklahoma in 2022.
Now entering his second season with the Sooners and fifth collegiate season, Gabriel is hoping to prove himself as a potential first-round pick. Oklahoma’s first game of the season begins at 11 AM Central against Arkansas State.
Washington QB Michael Penix
Again, with the Vikings having uncertainty at the QB spot in 2024, this is a position that we will be keeping an eye on throughout the fall. Another option is Michael Penix out of Washington, though he may be a player who ends up going in the top half of the first round next spring.
Penix had a very strong 2022 season for the Huskies, throwing for 4641 yards, 31 TDs, and just 6 INTs. He has a cannon of an arm and can move around the pocket to evade pressure as well as anyone at the collegiate level.
The big question with Penix is his injury history. He suffered torn ACL’s both in 2018 and 2020 along with shoulder injuries in 2019 and 2021. However, he finally put together a full healthy season last fall. As long as he has another injury-free season in 2023, NFL teams may feel comfortable enough with his health to use a high draft pick on him.
Penix and the Huskies begin their 2023 season by taking on Boise State at 2:30 PM Central.
Iowa CB Cooper DeJean
Another spot on the Vikings roster that looks rather thin is the cornerback position. If they don’t go QB in the first round, perhaps they look for a CB. Cooper DeJean is more than just a pure CB. At 6’1 and 207 pounds, he has terrific size and length that allows him to line up all over a defense.
Just in 2022, DeJean had 553 snaps at outside CB, 140 in the slot, 91 in the box, and even 30 on the defensive line. With the shallow nature of Minnesota’s CB position, along with Harrison Smith entering his age-34 season in 2023, the Vikings could look to add help all over their secondary in 2024.
DeJean has first-round potential, but his size makes him a tad slower than smaller CBs in this upcoming class. However, his production is undeniable (5 INTs in 2022), so another strong season could send his stock into the late first round or early second round.
Iowa will have another strong defensive unit in 2023, and they get their season started against Utah State at 11 AM Central on Saturday.
LSU WR Malik Nabers
The LSU-Minnesota Vikings pipeline runs deep. Since 2020, Minnesota has selected four LSU Tigers (Justin Jefferson, Ed Ingram, Jay Ward, Jaquelin Roy), so it seems worthwhile to keep an eye on the program throughout this fall.
This week, we’re watching WR Malik Nabers. K.J. Osborn is entering the final season of his contract, and he could look to grab a big payday next spring with another strong season in 2023. If that happens, Nabers could be another replacement option, giving Minnesota a strong young core of Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and himself at WR.
Nabers largely played out of the slot during his freshman season of 2021, but last year, he played nearly 60% of his snaps as a boundary receiver. This larger role allowed him to amass 72 receptions for 1017 yards and 3 TDs.
The Tigers actually begin their season on Sunday night, taking on Florida State at 6:30 PM Central on September 3rd.
Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter
The Vikings landed the UDFA story of the summer in LB Ivan Pace this year, but linebacker is another position to watch next spring. Troy Dye and Jordan Hicks are entering the final year of their contracts while Brian Asamoah and Pace remain relatively unknown heading into this season.
In comes Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter. With Trenton Simpson heading to the NFL in the 2023 NFL Draft, Trotter looks to fill the void this fall. Trotter comes from an NFL bloodline, being the son of former Eagles All-Pro LB Jeremiah Trotter Sr.
Trotter Jr. is a bit undersized at 6-feet and 230 pounds, but he has excellent coverage skills and racked up 13.5 TFLs along with 6.5 sacks in 2022. Trotter’s ability to do a little bit of everything at the linebacker position could be very enticing for a Brian Flores defense next year.
Clemson’s season kicks off on Monday evening as they take on the Duke Blue Devils. This will be a great first test for the defense against top QB draft prospect Drake Maye. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 PM Central on September 4th.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.