Many NFL fans care most about the first round of the NFL Draft,. It makes sense since that's when most of the marquee talent comes off the board.
However, as NFL junkies know, the most successful general managers in the league are the ones who can find high-end players outside of the first round. These value picks are the foundation of rosters in a sport where depth matters more than anyone else.
How do you identify which players are value picks? The Sporting News is breaking down the 2024 NFL Draft's potential steals by looking at where players rank on the NFL Mock Draft Database's consensus big board and SN's own big board and comparing it to where they were ultimately selected.
These players stood out as the biggest value picks of the 2024 NFL Draft.
SN's NFL DRAFT HQ: Live picks tracker | Top 250 big board
Lions: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
- Round 1, Pick 24
Many believed Terrion Arnold would be a top-15 pick and the first cornerback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Instead, an early run on offensive players, including the first 14 players selected overall, pushed cornerbacks down the board. That allowed the Lions to make a small trade-up to get Arnold with the 24th pick.
Arnold is an instinctive cornerback who was a steady performer at Alabama. He recorded five interceptions during his final season and had 20 pass defenses over his final two campaigns. He has the size (6-0, 189 pounds), athleticism, and ball skills needed to be a true No. 1 cornerback in the NFL, and he should be a plug-and-play starter for the Lions.
Detroit was desperate to land a starting cornerback across from Carlton Davis after it released Cam Sutton amid domestic violence accusations. Few believed the Lions would have a chance to get Arnold, so getting him was the best value pick of the first round.
MORE 2024 NFL DRAFT: Safest picks | Riskiest picks | Top sleepers | Small-school steals
Eagles: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
- Round 2, Pick 40
Arnold wasn't the only cornerback who slipped down draft boards. DeJean did, as well, going from a potential late first-round pick to an early second-round pick.
DeJean ranked 18th overall on the consensus big board and was mocked as high as No. 16 overall to the Seahawks by some. He has great athleticism, strong ball skills, and can play any position in the secondary, so that should help make him a rock-solid player at the NFL level.
The Eagles needed cornerback help badly, and that's why they traded up to get DeJean even after selecting Quinyon Mitchell 22nd overall. Both corners should have a chance to find success, but DeJean may be quicker to make an impact as Mitchell transitions from the MAC to the NFL.
Raiders: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C/G, Oregon
- Round 2, Pick 44
Many mock drafts featured Powers-Johnson as a first-round pick. He often was projected to fall in the sweet spot between the 20th and 24th picks, but despite the offensive emphasis in the first round, Powers-Johnson didn't go until the 44th overall pick — 20 picks later than he probably should have gone.
Powers-Johnson checked in at 25th on Sporting News' big board and has the power needed to be a rock-solid NFL center for the next decade. He can also play guard, which will come in handy for the Raiders, who have a good center on the roster in Andre James.
Lions: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
- Round 2, Pick 60
Like the Eagles, the Lions double-dipped at cornerback. Detroit's strategy paid off, getting a potential first-round value in Rakestraw.
Rakestraw had just one interception during his college career but played sticky coverage for Missouri. He also recorded 24 pass defenses over his four years at the school, showcasing that his ball skills aren't bad. He may have just had bad luck when it came to making interceptions.
Rakestraw checked in at 38 on the consensus big board, so getting him just before the end of the second round is a steal.
MORE: Why did the Patriots select Drake Maye and Joe Milton in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Chiefs: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
- Round 2, Pick 63
In my final 2024 mock draft, I projected Suamataia to the Chiefs at the end of the first round. They managed to get him with the penultimate pick in the second round after trading up one pick with the 49ers.
Suamataia is a raw prospect, but he has a 6-5, 326-pound frame and the traits needed to become a strong blindside blocker. He's also the cousin of Lions star Penei Sewell.
Suamataia ranked 43rd on the consensus big board and 46th on SN's big board, so it wouldn't have been a surprise to see him sneak into the first round. It was far more surprising to see him last until the Chiefs' second-round pick, and he could become a steal for Kansas City.
Steelers: Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
- Round 3, Pick 98
Wilson's slide shouldn't be too much of a surprise. He has a lot of injury concerns, as he dealt with shoulder and knee injuries consistently at NC State. He is missing an ACL in one of his knees as a result of his problems too, and Ian Rapoport reported on the NFL Network's draft broadcast that teams expect Wilson to be a one-contract player.
But if Wilson can somehow stay healthy at the NFL level, he could be a high-end playmaker at linebacker. He had 138 tackles, 17.5 TFL, six sacks, and three interceptions during his final year at NC State, and he has a great combination of speed and nose-to-the-ball instincts.
Wilson was a consensus top-50 player, so the Steelers landing him at 98 is a terrific value. Pittsburgh now has a great linebacker corps with Wilson in tow as a potential three-down complement for Patrick Queen.
Broncos: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
- Round 4, Pick 102
Talk about a match made in heaven. The Broncos chose Oregon quarterback Bo Nix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and got his No. 1 receiver 90 picks later.
Franklin has good size (6-2), speed and great chemistry with Nix. He accounted for 28 percent of Nix's passing yards and 31 percent of his passing touchdowns last year, so Nix obviously trusts the talented wideout.
Franklin ranked 42nd on the consensus big board — five spots ahead of 49ers first-round pick Ricky Pearsall — yet went 102nd overall despite most mocking him at the beginning of Round 2. He should outplay his draft slot, especially if he can improve his route-running skills to ensure his short-area separation will continue to be strong in the NFL.
MORE: How Bo Nix, Troy Franklin did together with the Broncos
Ravens: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
- Round 4, Pick 130
Tampa was a polarizing player in the 2024 NFL Draft, but many believed he would be a Day 2 pick. He ranked 53rd on the consensus big board but lasted until the latter stages of Round 4 where the Ravens snapped him up.
Tampa is a big, physical cornerback who has long arms on his 6-1, 189-pound frame. He has the physicality needed to thrive in press-man coverage and should make it difficult for his opponents to catch passes when he's in the vicinity.
The biggest knock on Tampa is his lack of speed, as he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. But if he can play faster than he runs, Tampa will emerge as a high-end No. 2 or low-end No. 1 corner in the NFL.
Bears: Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas
- Round 5, Pick 144
Booker didn't play much in two seasons at Minnesota before transferring to Kansas. He broke out with Lance Leipold's program, logging eight sacks in 12 games and recording 56 tackles for the team.
Had Booker returned to school, he may have established himself as an early Day 2 talent with the potential to be a first-round pick. Instead, he declared for the draft and slipped a bit, as teams were left with a small sample size to evaluate Booker.
The Bears liked Booker enough to trade back into the 2024 NFL Draft by using picks from 2025. It's easy to understand why they did that, as Booker ranked 75th overall on the consensus big board and drew a Maxx Crosby comparison from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
Saints: Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
- Round 5, Pick 150
Rattler was the seventh quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. The first six went in the top 12; Rattler went 138 picks later, marking the largest-ever gaps between quarterback selections in NFL history.
Rattler ranked 82nd on SN's big board, so few would have batted an eye if he was selected in Round 3. Instead, he lasted until the fifth round before the Saints scooped him up to compete with Jake Haener for the backup job.
Rattler has a good arm and plenty of experience as a starting quarterback at Oklahoma and South Carolina. He completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 3,186 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions during his final season despite playing behind a porous offensive line. His functional mobility and ability to throw on the run could give him a chance to develop into a solid starter. At worst, he should be a solid backup, so getting him in Round 5 is a nice value.
MORE: Why Spencer Rattler is the top sleeper quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft
Eagles: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
- Round 5, Pick 155
Jeremiah Trotter Sr. enjoyed a great career with the Eagles. Now, his son will create his own legacy in Philadelphia.
The Eagles landed Trotter — rated 94th on the consensus big board — with the 155th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He may not be the most athletic linebacker, but his instincts help make up for that
Dolphins: Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
- Round 5, Pick 158
Kamara likely slipped because of his smaller frame (6-1, 248 pounds) but he has good athleticism and was hyper-productive during his final season at Colorado State. He had 13 sacks as a senior and has a relentless motor that should allow him to translate his production to the next level.
Kamara was viewed as a fringe top-100 prospect, and many mocked him in the third round of the NFL Draft. The Dolphins got him in the fifth round and now have a strong-looking pass rush with Kamara and Chop Robinson in the fold.
Dolphins: Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
- Round 6, Pick 184
The Dolphins had another good value pick early in the sixth round when they landed Washington. The 5-9 receiver broke out in his lone season at Virginia, recording 110 catches for 1,426 yards and nine touchdowns.
Washington may be limited to the slot as a pro, but he has the separation skills needed to be a threatening force. He also has a great vertical jump, so he might be better on contested catches than many receivers his size.
Washington also thrived at the Senior Bowl and ranked 97th on the consensus big board. He is going to a team with a crowded receiver room, but he will have a chance to earn a role alongside Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Lions: Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College
- Round 6, Pick 210
Mahogany once got buzz as a potential first-round pick thanks to his strength and tenacity. He made 34 starts at Boston College, and some believed he could be a solid plug-and-play guard at the next level.
Mahogany was viewed as a potential Day 2 pick and checked in at 102 overall on the consensus big board. The Lions landed him near the end of the sixth round, so he was a great pickup as a potential successor for Kevin Zeitler.
