10 highly regarded defensive prospects for 2024 NFL draft not being talked about enough

If you’ve spent any time looking through early projections for next year’s NFL draft, you’re already aware of a good amount of the nation’s top NFL prospects.

However, as is the case every year at this time, there are players in these early mock drafts that NFL scouts aren’t quite as high on as media prognosticators. There are also numerous players that NFL scouts are much higher on than most probably realize. 

Based on intel from NFL scouting sources, On3 is identifying some highly regarded, early-round prospects who aren’t being talked about enough at this point. We covered 10 offensive players Monday. Now, here are 10 on defense (listed alphabetically).

Maryland DB Beau Brade

In the last 10 NFL drafts, seven Maryland defensive backs have been selected in the first 105 picks, including three the last two years. Brade may be the next one. In his first year as a starter, Brade was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. He led the Terrapins with 86 tackles and also posted two interceptions and two forced fumbles. In a win over SMU, he became the first Maryland player since 1998 with 15 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in a single game. Current feedback from NFL scouting sources on Brade is in the second-to-third round range. One scout mentioned to On3 that he believes Brade has the potential to be an NFL starting safety and that he expects Brade to immediately be an asset for an NFL team on special teams.

Wake Forest DB Caelen Carson

Carson, whose Twitter handle refers to him as Walking Seatbelt, is one of the ACC’s top NFL draft prospects at cornerback along with others like Nate Wiggins at Clemson and Max Melton at Rutgers. Despite being tabbed by Athlon as just a fourth-team All-ACC selection, scouts look at Carson as a legitimate possibility to go in the first two rounds of next year’s draft. He’s yet to play in more than nine games in a season due to injuries but posted two interceptions and nine pass deflections in nine games in 2021 and then seven pass deflections in eight games last year. He ended last season with seven tackles, including six solo tackles, and two pass deflections in Wake’s win over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl.

North Carolina LB Cedric Gray

Gray is one of the nation’s top inside linebackers and is garnering top two round feedback from scouts entering the season. The 2022 first-team All-ACC selection ranked first among Power Five players last year with 145 tackles and 82 solo tackles. In addition, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound led North Carolina with 12 tackles for loss and also recorded three forced fumbles, eight pass deflections and two interceptions.

Baylor DL Gabe Hall

Baylor had a defensive lineman, Siaki Ika, go in the first three rounds of this year’s NFL draft. The Bears could have another next year, too, with Hall. Although there are mixed opinions on Hall in the NFL scouting world, there are at least some who view him as a potential top-50 overall draft pick. “He’s a flasher,” one scout told On3.

The 6-foot-6, 287-pound Hall finished last year with 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks after recording 17 tackles and six sacks in 2021. During that 2021 season, he posted three sacks against Kansas State, becoming the first Baylor player with three sacks in a game since 2019. “I go back and forth on Gabe Hall, but he’s got a lot of upside and his good stuff is really good,” another NFL scouting source said.

Texas A&M DL McKinnley Jackson

Jackson is a leading figure for a Texas A&M defensive line that Aggies coaches are expecting to be one of the strengths of their team this season. Although he’s yet to even earn All-SEC recognition through his first three years at A&M, at least some scouts have first-round grades on the 6-foot-2, 325-pound Jackson entering the year. Jackson, who was a team captain for the Aggies last year, accumulated 37 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks and a blocked kick in eight games last season. He was selected as the team’s defensive MVP and as the winner of both the Aggie Defensive Leadership award and A&M’s defensive strength and conditioning award. “For a big guy, he’s very quick, very powerful,” an NFL scouting source told On3. “He’s disruptive and can play all three downs. He’s not just a true nose (tackle). When he wants to be, he can open it up and really run for a big guy, too. He’s very talented.”

Penn State LB Curtis Jacobs

Jacobs doesn’t get the attention of other Penn State top draft prospects like offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, cornerback Kalen King or EDGE Chop Robinson, but he’s one of multiple other Nittany Lions defenders with a shot at going in the first few rounds of next year’s draft. Current NFL grades on him seem to mostly be in the first three rounds. Jacobs, who’s entering his third season as a starter, won Penn State’s Ultimate Teammate Award last year along with tight end Brenton Strange, who was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of this year’s draft. Jacobs finished last season with 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception. “He’ll be an NFL linebacker,” a Big Ten running backs coach told On3. 

TCU DB Josh Newton

Less than 14 months after transferring to TCU from Louisiana-Monroe, Newton is well-established as one of the top defensive backs in the Big 12. He’s a top NFL prospect, too. At least some scouts think the 2022 first-team All-Big 12 selection could end up going in the first round of next year’s draft. The 6-foot, 195-pound Newton, who arrived at Louisiana-Monroe as a wide receiver before transitioning to cornerback, tied for second in the Big 12 at TCU last year with 12 pass break-ups. He also had three interceptions, including a pick-six against SMU.

Mississippi State CB Decamerion Richardson

In four of the last five NFL drafts, a Mississippi State defensive back has been selected in the first three rounds. It could happen again next year. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Richardson is quietly one of the better cornerbacks in the SEC. In his first season as a starter, Richardson accumulated 85 tackles and three pass break-ups. He also returned a blocked field goal 50 yards for a touchdown against Texas A&M.

Iowa State DB T.J. Tampa

Tampa is maybe the Big 12’s best draft prospect at cornerback behind Newton. He’s regarded by at least some scouts as a top three round talent. After making five starts in 2021, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound became a full-time starter last year and was a second-team All-Big 12 selection. He’s a preseason first-team All-Big 12 pick entering this season. 

Florida EDGE Princely Umanmielen

Umanmielen is probably Florida’s top 2024 draft prospect aside from cornerback Jason Marshall. The 6-foot-5, 254-pound Umanmielen broke out last year for the Gators with 39 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Current NFL grades on him are in the third-round range. “He’s a guy that can do a lot of things for you on defense,” Florida EDGE coach Mike Peterson said during the spring. “For a guy with that size, he’s able to drop into coverage. He can definitely rush the passer. We’ve been talking about showing everybody that he can also play the run. So he has all the tools.”