The Panthers might have broken Jerry Jones’ heart after he seemingly tipped the Cowboys’ draft board.
Jonathon Brooks became the first running back selected in the 2024 draft when the Panthers traded up Friday into the middle of the second round to get the Texas prospect, whose profile was raised by the Cowboys’ owner and general manager.
“In my 30 years, I thought it was the best interview that I’ve ever interviewed with a player,” Jones said Thursday night after the first round ended. “He’s just outstanding. He’s a great football player. We’ve got him high, high, high.”
The Cowboys’ team physician performed ACL reconstruction surgery on Brooks after he was injured last season.
So, did Brooks think he was going to land with Dallas?
“Did I get that vibe? I don’t know,” Brooks said. “I’ll just say I’m glad to be in Carolina. I liked the plan they had set for me.”
The value for devalued positions was clearly defined in short order: The first linebacker, first running back and first safety of the class were picked back-to-back-to-back.
The Packers selected Edgerrin Cooper at No. 45, the Panthers traded to No. 46 for Brooks, sensing that the Giants might be eyeing a Saquon Barkley replacement, and the Giants instead went with safety Tyler Nubin at No. 47 to replace Xavier McKinney.
“We value the running backs,” Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said. “To have a guy like Jonathon Brooks there, he was a guy we loved.”
Morgan, who expects Brooks to be healthy for training camp, actually first inquired with the Giants about trading to No. 47, general manager Joe Schoen revealed.
The two are close friends and former Bills colleagues.
Rutgers CB Max Melton was selected No. 44 — three spots before the Giants, with whom he visited on their day to host local prospects.
Melton is the 98th Rutgers player to join the NFL after playing for head coach Greg Schiano (2001-11, 2019-current), the first second-rounder since Kemoko Turay in 2018 and the highest pick since first-rounder Devin McCourty in 2011.
After meeting head coach Jonathan Gannon, Melton told himself, “I hope this is my head coach.”
After a record-tying six quarterbacks were first-round picks — all top-12 picks — none were taken in the second or third rounds, leaving top available QB Spencer Rattler to wait until Saturday afternoon to learn his fate.
DT T’Vondre Sweat — a first-round talent whose stock was supposed to take a big hit after a DWI arrest this month — only wound up slipping to the Titans at No. 38. Sweat was labeled as a “class clown” and “party animal” out of Texas, scouts told The Athletic.
He was the third of four defensive tackles picked in the first seven picks of the second round.
The Eagles traded up to No. 40 for CB Cooper DeJean, who has a chance to become the NFL’s first white full-time starting cornerback since Jason Sehorn for the Giants in 2002.
He was the first of four straight cornerbacks selected and the second in as many rounds by the Eagles, who weren’t done addressing their biggest need after first-rounder Quinyon Mitchell.
The Eagles reportedly jumped the Packers for DeJean, who responded by trading back.
DeJean also is a dangerous punt returner.
WR Adonai Mitchell — who was pegged as the fourth receiver taken in the first round in many mock drafts — slipped all the way to the Colts at No. 52.
How?
Well, he came off as “disinterested” to teams during the interviews, NFL Network said, and one scout told GoLongTd.com that he can be “uncoachable” when his blood sugar is low. He was the 11th receiver overall.
