Dynasty Rookie IDPs in the NFL Draft: Day One Review
We knew we’d be waiting a while before the first defensive player came off the board in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. We didn’t know we’d be waiting until pick No. 15. But the historic IDP slide was on after Atlanta, which at No. 8 overall seemed like a logical landing spot for an edge rusher, made the surprise pick of the draft with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
It marked the first time a defensive player has failed to go among the top ten picks.
Thankfully, once the seal broke the IDPs came off the board at a decent clip, with nine selected on the draft’s opening night. They are ranked here according to dynasty value.
1. Dallas Turner, EDGE MIN
Drafted at pick No. 17 (second edge rusher selected)
The Vikings turned over their edge rusher room this off-season, replacing Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and now, Dallas Turner.
Turner makes up for his 6-foot-2 height with long, 34.5-inch arms, and his 9.49 Relative Athletic Score is evident when watching his speed and explosion off the edge. He is actually fairly well-rounded, with decent bend on his turn, and an ability to drop into coverage. Just 21 years old, he should be able to fill out his frame to better deal with his take-on against tackles. Age is on his side for dynasty purposes.
In Minnesota, this is a bit of a downer for Van Ginkel fans, and the former Dolphin will likely find himself in a solid rotation with Turner as the season progresses. For Turner, this is a nice long-term landing spot opposite Greenard. He doesn’t have the power of his former teammate Will Anderson, but he’ll be able to eventually work his way into a nice EDGE2.
2. Jared Verse, EDGE LAR
Drafted at pick No. 19 (third edge rusher selected)
Of the top three edge rushers selected, Verse is the most physical, with an awesome bull rush and a nice long arm stick to keep hands off of him. The Florida State product also boasts elite speed and explosion numbers, which shows with his quick burst off the line. The violent Verse has speed-to-power for days and is a relentless attacker.
There may not be a better landing spot for an edge than Los Angeles. The Rams hit on third-rounder Byron Young last year but had to rely on Michael Hoecht much more than any NFL franchise should have to. A Verse-Young combo is pretty good, and Verse should pretty instantly see a massive workload.
And though Young only entered the league one season prior to Verse, the latter is almost two and a half years younger than the former.
3. Laiatu Latu, EDGE IND
Drafted at pick No. 15 (first edge rusher selected)
We waited through 14 offensive players to get to our first IDP off the board, and in the minds of many analysts, Latu was the top defensive prospect. At 6-foot-4 and 259 pounds, Latu has adequate size for an edge rusher, but what stands out is his handwork. His upper body moves are a blur, and his swim move makes a lot of tackles look bad. As a senior, Latu got into the backfield at a good clip with 26 tackles for loss and 63 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
The knock of course is the medicals, as Washington forced him to retire before the 2021 season due to a serious neck injury. (Latu played the 2022 and 2023 seasons at UCLA.)
If you’re worried about the landing spot in Indianapolis, don’t be. The Colts have 2021 picks Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo entering the final year of their rookie deals, and rotational edge Samson Ebukam in tow for another couple of seasons. Paye has been a disappointment for a first-round pick, and seems better served as a complementary or rotational option.
You can make an argument for the top three in any order. I went with Turner due to the age difference – he’s a full two years younger than either Verse or Latu – then Verse due to the immediate opportunity for snap volume.
4. Byron Murphy II, IDL SEA
Drafted at pick No. 16 (first interior defensive lineman selected)
Considered by some to be the best overall defensive player available, Murphy lacks ideal length (6-foot, 32 ⅜-inch arms) and weight (297), but he’s thick all over, and so, so quick off the line. Murphy just explodes when the ball is snapped. He’s quick laterally, has good hand moves, and is extremely strong. We of course want to see him at 3-tech but he can also shed and make a tackle when two-gapping over an offensive lineman.
Murphy joins a crowded interior group in Seattle, which is retooling under new coach Mike Macdonald. With Leonard Williams (three years), Dre’Mont Jones (two years), Jarran Reed and Johnathan Hankins in the fold, snap volume is going to be a short-term barrier to fantasy relevance. Still, Murphy has potential to blossom into a star, and could find himself leading the group in snaps in short order. Slide him in at No. 5 in leagues that combine defensive linemen into a single position.
5. Chop Robinson, EDGE MIA
Drafted at pick No. 21 (fourth edge rusher selected)
An NFL Combine star and nickname king, “Chop” has elite speed (4.49-second 40-yard dash) and serious juice off the line. For all the traits, Robinson had just 26 pressures in 2023 at Penn State, and only 11.5 sacks over three seasons. This is not a finished product.
The lack of readiness makes him an odd fit with his new team, which needs plug-and-play production with Bradley Chubb coming off a torn ACL suffered on New Year’s Eve, and Jaelan Phillips returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon in week 12. The Dolphins have former Shaquil Barrett under contract for 2024, but not much else, so Robinson should get plenty of run as Chubb and Phillips ease their way back from serious injuries. Once the established starters are healthy, snaps may be harder to come by in 2025.
6. Darius Robinson, IDL Arizona
Drafted at pick No. 27 (fifth edge rusher selected)
Robinson differs from the other edge rushers selected in the first round given his traditional 4-3 defensive end size at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds. If you think he’s a tweener, you may be right. His speed testing numbers compared poorly against other defensive ends, and only good in the explosion drills. But compared to defensive tackles, he graded out as great to elite.
A really good run defender and a powerful pass rusher, Robinson’s upside is probably that of Denico Autry. He may have been announced as an edge rusher, but he’ll likely be classified as a defensive tackle in Arizona’s scheme, playing anywhere from 3-tech to 4i and out to 5-tech. Be patient and you may eventually have a fantasy starter, but Robinson is not someone to go out of your way to get in rookie drafts.
7. Terrion Arnold, CB DET
Drafted at pick No. 24 (second cornerback selected)
Arnold won’t have to leave Motown to pick up his playbook after Detroit traded up to select the versatile corner. He’ll mostly play outside with the Lions with his former Alabama teammate, Brian Branch, at home at the nickel.
Corner became a big need for the Lions after the team moved on from the legally challenged Cameron Sutton. Arnold and former Buc Carlton Davis will likely serve as the top two outside options. Ultimately, this is a low-impact fantasy asset given the position.
8. Quinyon Mitchell, CB PHI
Drafted at pick No. 22 (first cornerback selected)
The Toledo star is a rocket at outside corner with 4.33 speed. A home run pick for the Eagles, Mitchell will eventually slide in as the long-term replacement for either Darius Slay or James Bradberry. Both veterans have two years remaining on their contracts. There’s not much dynasty value here, although Mitchell was great at breaking up passes over his final two collegiate seasons.
9. Nate Wiggins, CB BAL
Drafted at pick No. 30 (third cornerback selected)
The blazing-fast Wiggins is thin at 173 pounds. As an outside corner with questions about his ability to help as a run defender, Wiggins’ fantasy value is about as low as you can get for a first-round IDP.
- Dynasty Rookie IDPs in the NFL Draft: Day Two Review - April 27, 2024
- Dynasty Rookie IDPs in the NFL Draft: Day One Review - April 26, 2024
- Positional Strengths of the NFL Draft: IDP Edition - April 23, 2024
