Entering a Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft comes with challenges, but it allows for creative ways to draft players you otherwise might not originally want and tinker with the “idea of them” on your team (I will come back to this shortly).
DRAFT STRATEGY FOR PICK 5 IN 2024 ROOKIE DRAFTS: MY PRE-DRAFT PLAN
Drafting from the 5th slot is unique. I thought it could have swayed either way, given the Superflex nature of the league, with big-name quarterbacks falling off completely or the top three receivers being taken along with Caleb Williams.
The WR pool in this draft is as exciting as I can remember, and my mindset was to capitalize on this in a year when there are a ton of options. Brian Thomas Jr, Keon Coleman, Adonai Mitchell, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Troy Franklin were at the top of my draft board.
Read more: “How to draft” from the… 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 spot
PICK 1.5: DRAKE MAYE, QB, NORTH CAROLINA
The “top” two QBs and “top” two receivers were taken right before me, something we should all be prepared for at the 1.05. With Rome Odunze, Brian Thomas, Keon Coleman, Xavier Worthy, and more still on the board, getting a freak-of-nature athlete on your team can be very exciting. Choices like this can be the difference between winning the trophy or seeing your buddy’s name engraved instead.
As mentioned, I entered this draft wanting receivers and knowing the talent pool was very deep. Given that this is a SuperFlex mock draft, I leaned QB in the first to get a potential Top 10 future WR at the 2.05.
An “Idea of Him” pick. In almost any other draft, I probably would have faded Drake. Watching the most recent NFL draft, seeing him picked at No. 3, was a beautiful moment for him and his family.
However, I could not help but laugh at him for not looking the part. At 6’4’’ and 240 lbs, he is a prototypical QB with a glaringly successful college career in Chapel Hill. Drake posted 62 TDs in the air, added 16 TDs on the ground, and had almost 8,000 yards passing in his final two collegiate seasons.
The guy is a potential bonafide fantasy scoring machine. Patriots players and fantasy have been mostly taboo for quite some time, but after 24 seasons, things might be changing. During the offseason, the Patriots front office made the obvious effort to find players for a quarterback to throw to, and it was evident with the selections of Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.
Combining his high-scoring upside and having young, talented receivers coming into the league with Drake will be extremely exciting for years to come.
PICK 2.5: ADONAI MITCHELL, WR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
In arrives the potential future top-10 WR in Adonai Mitchell. This year’s version of a player who “slipped” due to character issues. From what we have heard, some teams even removed him completely from their board.
Outside of Colts GM Chris Ballard fervently using curse words to dispel any bad things mentioned about Mitchell’s character, he could not have landed in a better place in the world than Indianapolis, Indiana. Reggie Wayne, former Colts WR and current Wide Receivers Coach, was quoted during his playing career as saying that Indianapolis and the Colts organization were the best things to happen to his career.
Mitchell, who comes from the University of Texas, and Reggie, who hails from “The U” in Dade County, have a lot to compare and learn from. I think it will rhyme with something like “Life in Indy… isn’t like it is down in Texas and South Florida.”
Regarding on-field ability and his fit within Shane Steichen and Jim Bob Cooter’s scheme, we certainly have the potential for massive upside. These two offensively powered mindsets are moving into Year 2, and this season, they have the young QB in Anthony Richardson, along with one of the best offensive lines in pro football. The WR room has talent in Michael Pittman Jr, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, but nothing to the point where Mitchell will not see significant playing time right away and a path to be a key contributor.
After this pick, I targeted Ja’Lynn Polk and to stack him with Drake Maye.
PICK 3.5: MALACHI CORLEY, WR, NY JETS
I did not get Ja’Lynn Polk, who was snatched a few picks ahead of me. Javon Baker was a contingency, but it felt a tad too early for him, and I wanted to leave this round with the best player available instead of reaching for a Patriots stack.
I had a few guys who I thought could make the most immediate impact on their teams this season, and Malachi Corley was in my top tier, so I was very happy to take him with this pick.
Garrett Wilson is the featured WR1 for the Jets, and the oft-injured Mike Williams is currently the team’s WR2. Mixing in Aaron Rodgers’ friend Allen Lazard and kickoff specialist Xavier Gipson, there is certainly room for Corley to score points early and often in the Randall Cobb role.
Corley has a tough gadget skill set, built like a running back with supreme YAC upside out of the slot. I assume short, quick, intermediate passes will be a game plan for the Jets this season as they preserve what is left of Aaron Rodgers. Reliance on a wideout like Corely might be critical to move the chains alongside Wilson. The Jets seem to have drafted Malachi Corely in part due to his toughness; during his final three collegiate seasons, Corely played in 40/41 total games and led his class in YAC/reception (9.2) since 2022.
PICK 4.5: BRENDAN RICE, WR, LA CHARGERS
This is more of a bet on the need for beneficiaries of Justin Herbert and the new regime of HC Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Horitz. The Chargers WR is as thin as it gets with Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, DJ Chark, and fellow rookie Ladd McConkey.
Rice led USC in touchdowns last season with Caleb Williams at the helm, so we know he can perform well with a highly touted QB. Though his college numbers were not jaw-dropping, during the combine at 6’3’’ 210, Rice ran a 4.5 40-yard dash and clocked in the fourth-fastest top speed behind only Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Jermaine Burton.
A lot is going on in Brenden Rice’s camp for him to become successful. Oh, yeah. He is also the son of the greatest WR to ever play football.
Summary: Post-Draft Thoughts and Recap of Pick 5 Strategy
Overall, I am appeased by how my draft ended. There were certainly players I targeted who were taken, but I liked who I got and where I got them.
Drake Maye in a Superflex league could be massive. I am very elated to get Adonai Mitchell, who would have gone sooner in most any other NFL draft class. Malachi Corely has a path to immediate playing time, and the Brenden Rice pick was not very exciting but has a lot of upside, given his situation in LA.
