Michigan defensive back Will Johnson celebrates a touchdown after intercepting USC quarterback Miller Moss during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. PHOTO USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES Celebrations are still going for the 32 players who were drafted in the first round on Thursday.
There are some incredibly talented football players left on the board for the start of the second round. Some prospects in first-round contention dropped due to injury or character concerns, but some are destined to be kept waiting because the NFL thinks less of them than the general public and media. For fans of teams looking for studs in the second round, here are the highest-ranked prospects still on my big board through pick 32:
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
In terms of pound-for-pound talent, Johnson could have been a top-10 pick. His 2023 tape was teach tape in zone coverage, and he showed off explosion from the line of scrimmage to keep up with receivers down the field. But 2023 was two years ago. Johnson spent most of 2024 nursing a knee injury and was kept away from testing by a hamstring strain that came out of nowhere. He never put a 40 time on the books and left too many variables unanswered or unexplained. Health is the lingering concern with Johnson, but he could be a steal in the style of Cooper DeJean (second round, Eagles, 2024) if a team clears his medical and rediscovers the athleticism he showed in his sophomore season.
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Nov 25, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Nic Scourton (5) reacts after bringing down Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Brendan Sorsby (15) during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. credits: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports Scourton’s fall seems less about perceived health or character and more about personal preference.
The edge players who went in the first round, like his teammate Shemar Stewart and SEC opponents Mykel Williams and James Pearce Jr., all move very well for their size. Scourton flashed more impressive power than speed last season, and his weight during testing fluctuated too much, which likely turned him into a question mark for more teams. Scourton can bring a high floor to an edge room that is interested in top-level weight room warriors with heavy hands and surprising bend, but he may go in the 60s to a team like the Lions because he’s not going to win with a first-step burst.
Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Maybe the edge class is just that good? There wasn’t a place for Green immediately for teams in the first round. Green shot up media draft boards because of his quickness and strength-to-speed conversion at the Senior Bowl on the heels of a 17-sack season. The production has to be qualified because it came against a lower level of competition and there are concerns around why he left Virginia. There’s still a chance for a team to snag him in the second and make a major impact for their defense with his technical refinement and speed.
Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
It was probably going to be either Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) or Amos at the back end of the first round, and Hairston’s speed appealed more to the Bills than Amos’ sticky man coverage ability. This doesn’t mean Amos is any slouch as a player, and if there was any player I would expect to go at 33, he’s the one. His physical presence and run-stopping value in the secondary can help a team secure the back end of their defense. His ball production in college signals that he can turn the tide of a game at any moment.
