As the 2024 NFL Draft approaches, teams are finalizing their preparations and building their respective boards. Rather than having hundreds of prospects, teams typically have a list of around 150 players, carefully chosen based on where the team would feel comfortable taking them and considering roster needs. The development of these big boards is an important process that fans should understand.
Factors such as work ethic, medical evaluations, athleticism, production, and personality play a role in determining a player’s placement on the board. However, it all begins with determining if the prospect is a good fit for the team’s offensive or defensive strategy. Teams without a first-round pick are also making strategic selections to address key areas of need.
In this exercise, we will explore the positional needs of each team and what they may hope to accomplish in the first round of the draft. Listeners can tune in to “With the First Pick,” a year-round NFL Draft podcast featuring NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, available on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more in-depth draft analysis.
The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. Fans can find more draft coverage on CBSSports.com, including the updated draft order and profiles of eligible prospects.
