Multiple Unexpected Picks in The First Round
The 2024 NFL Draft came with many surprising picks headlined by the shocker coming from the Atlanta Falcons front office. However, this was not the only surprise as other teams drafted players expected to be day two picks. While there were many picks no one expected this year, the most confusing aside from the stunner of Michael Penix has to be Jordan Morgan to the Packers with the 25th overall pick and Ricky Pearsall 31st overall to the 49ers.
Michael Penix (Eighth Pick - Atlanta Falcons)
Penix came into this draft after a very productive season for the second straight year after his career resurgence with the Washington Huskies. Penix however came into this draft projected to be an early second-round pick due to already being 24 years old. As well, scouts had many concerns about his injury history. After the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a massive deal in free agency you would have thought they would have used the pick to better their team in 2024. Instead, they drafted his future replacement. While I see the potential with Penix and the possible chance to have him start his career in a Jordan Love type of situation. At this point, by the time he sees the field, he may be already 26 years old or older. Overall, this was a very questionable pick that even had the owner looking for answers.
Jordan Morgan (25th Pick - Green Bay Packers)
While this was definitely a position of need, I feel this was an extreme reach. Early in the draft, it seemed as though defense didn't exist; this left teams such as the Packers who were picking in the latter half of the first round in a major scramble to fill their Offensive Line needs. Jordan Morgan is a tremendous player and had a great career at Arizona but there was simply better talent on the board at pick 25. The player Packers fans wanted the most at that pick was Cornerback Cooper DeJean. Morgan, who was initially projected to go deep into day two. Will now look to fill the void in the trenches of Green Bay's offensive line, as he has been projected to move to guard at the next level.
Ricky Pearsall (31st Pick - San Francisco 49ers)
Pearsall was a very interesting pick and definitely points to the 49ers most likely trading one of their star wideouts in the coming days. Pearsall is a great player with a highlight reel unlike many yet at the time he was drafted there were four wide receivers ranked ahead of him on Mel Kiper's best players available. Many 49rs fans were outraged with the pick as they didn't seem to even want to draft a receiver in the first place. Pearsall will be a major weapon for the team although getting former Texas wideout Adonai Mitchell may show to have been a better move.
