2024 NFL Draft News (12-7-23)

Now that the 2023 NCAA football season is winding down, 2024 NFL Draft news is heating up. Draft Nation will take a look each week at key players and their decisions to stay in school or announce their eligibility for the upcoming draft. 

Here is the top Draft news from this past week:

Entering the Draft

Clemson- CB- Nate Wiggins

The 6’2” cornerback from Clemson made his intentions known that he was entering the NFL Draft and forgoing his senior year. He instantly joined the top 3-5 players at his posiiton in this class and has an excellent shot of being selected in round 1. Draft Nation likens his play to Sauce Gardner, primarilyfor his all around shut down ability and athleticism. He has the makeup to walk right into a starting job in the NFL. 

South Carolina- QB- Spencer Rattler

Spencer Rattler is entering the NFL Draft after a roller coaster 5-year collegiate career. He is a bit undersized at 6’1” and will have to prove to NFL scouts that he is capable of playing at the next level at his size. No one doubts his strong arm and he’s mobile. This allows him to escape pressure and he throws accurately on the run. His decision making is the biggest question mark that scouts will tangle with. He labors through his progressions which throws the timing off on routes. He still has shown enough upside to be considered a mid-round draft pick and a guy who will need to make it as a backup in the league.

To see more of Draft Nation’s profile on Spencer Rattler…

https://www.draft412.com/post/nfl-draft-prospect-preview-spencer-rattler

Pitt- Tackle- Matt Goncalves

Senior tackle Matt Goncalves is entering the NFL draft, ending any speculation that he could use a redshirt over his season ending injury. He only played 3 games this season for the Panthers before being lost for the season. He exits Pitt after making 24 starts at tackle and was part of the 2021 ACC Championship team that beat Wake Forest. He has the size and mechanics to play in the NFL, most likely at the right tackle position. He lacks the athleticism and is too slow off the snap to be a left tackle but if Goncalves can perform in the combine and all-star games it should help his draft stock. As of right now Draft Nation sees his ceiling as a 4th or 5th round pick.

To see more of Draft Nation’s profile on Matt Goncalves…

https://www.draft412.com/post/nfl-draft-prospect-preview-matt-goncalves

Coming Back to School

Pitt- TE- Gavin Bartholomew

The Pitt Panthers received some big news when junior tight end Gavin Bartholomew decided to return to the team and not enter the NFL Draft. He has shown over the years that he possesses elite hands and is able to stretch the seams numerous times on defenses. 

Without a doubt, Pitt’s quarterback situation (and offense in general) held him back most of this past season. Draft Nation thinks “Bart” made a smart decision and hopefully the Panthers fix their woes on offense in 2024, allowing him to show better for the 2025 Draft.

To see more on Draft Nation’s profile of Gavin Bartholomew…

https://www.draft412.com/post/nfl-draft-prospect-preview-gavin-bartholom

Transfer Portal

Here are a list of players that announced their intentions to transfer schools. Some may still enter the draft, and others may return to their current squad. However, Draft Nation has chronicled many of these prospects over the last year and will be changing their draft status when official decisions are made. Here are the top 5 at each position as rated by Draft Nation: 

QB

1- Washington State- Cameron Ward

2- Duke- Riley Leonard

3- UCLA- Dante Moore

4- Kansas State- Will Howard

5- Ohio State- Kyle McCord

RB

1- Arkansas- Raheim Sanders

2- Miami, FL- Donald Chaney, Jr.

3- Oregon- Ayo Adeyi

4- Mississippi State- Simeon Price

5- Kansas State- Treshaun Ward

WR

1- South Carolina- Antwane Wells

2- Ohio State- Julian Fleming

3- Vanderbilt- Landon Humphries

4- USC- Raleek Brown

5- Purdue- Deion Burks

TE

1- Notre Dame- Holden Staes

2- Connecticut- Justin Joly

3- Texas A&M- Jake Johnson

4- Harvard- Tyler Neville

5- Baylor- Drake Dabney

IOL

1- Notre Dame- Zeke Correll

2- Indiana- Zach Carpenter

3- Memphis- Davion Carter

4- Michigan State- Keyshawn Blackstock

5- Tennessee- Addison Nichols

T

1- Southern Miss- Gerquan Scott

2- Indiana- Carter Smith

3- North Dakota- Easton Kilty

4- Oklahoma- Marcus Hicks

5- Princeton- Jalen Travis

Edge

1- Duke- R.J. Oben

2- Texas A&M- Fadil Diggs

3- Ohio State- Omari Abor

4- Miami,FL- Cyrus Moss

5- Georgia- Darris Smith

DL

1- Texas A&M- Walter Nolen

2- Florida- Princely Umanmielan

3- Pittsburgh- Samuel Okunlola

4- Texas A&M- LT Overton

5- Duke- Aeneas Peebles

LB

1- Syracuse- Leon Lowery

2- Arkansas- Chris Paul, Jr.

3- UC Davis- Teddye Buchanan

4- Vanderbilt- Ethan Barr

5- Ohio State- Reid Carrico

CB

1- Clemson- Toriano Pride

2- Kansas State- Will Lee III

3- Georgia Tech- Kenan Johnson

4- Western Kentucky- Upton Stout

5- Georgia- Nyland Green

S

1- Clemson- Andrew Mukuba

2- Florida- Kamari Wilson

3- Texas- B.J. Allen Jr.

4- Oklahoma- Key Lawrence

5- Texas A&M- Jardin Gilbert

K

1- Ohio State- Parker Lewis

2- South Carolina- Mitch Jeter

3- Ole Miss- Caden Costa

4- Georgia- Jared Zirkel

5- Duke- Charlie Ham

P

1- Penn State- Alex Bacchetta

2- Western Kentucky- Tom Ellard

3- Hawaii- Matthew Shipley

4- Old Dominion- Ethan Duane

5- North Carolina- Cole Maynard