Mel Kiper Big Board: Best Remaining Players for Day 2 of NFL Draft

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft appeared to go according to plan before the Atalana Falcons went off the rails by taking Michael Penix Jr. with the 8th overall pick. From there, chaos ensued and picks were remarkably difficult to predict.

We saw an NFL record 6 quarterbacks go inside the top 12 picks of an NFL Draft, and there was a heavy run on receivers to close Day 1. The good news is that there are plenty of outstanding prospects still on the board as we gear up for Day 2 of the draft.

Following the first round, Mel Kiper Jr. released his list of top available players ahead of Day 2.

Mel Kiper Jr.'s Best Available Players for Day 2:

1. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa (14th overall)
2. Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M (26th overall)
3. Keon Coleman, WR, FSU (33rd overall)
4. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (35th overall)
5. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas (36th overall)

Football fans are surprised to see that Cooper DeJean was not one of the top 32 players selected in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. The standout defensive back out of Iowa is an excellent athlete with ball production who can line up anywhere in the secondary.

The NFL saw no off-ball linebackers selected in the first round, which means the value is heating up for a player like Edgerrin Cooper. The Texas A&M star has tremendous athletic traits and long arms that help him win when rushing off the edge. He is Kiper's second-best player on the board entering Day 2 of the draft.

Kiper also has a pair of wide receivers high on his list in Florida State's Keon Coleman and Texas' Adonai Mitchell. Coleman's 4.61 speed at the NFL Combine no doubt factored into his drop on the consensus board ahead of the draft, while Mitchell was flagged by some teams with character issues.

Kool-Aid McKinstry cracks the final spot of Kiper's top 5 best remaining players in the NFL Draft. Once thought of as a future top-10 pick, McKinstry has officially fallen out of the first round.

In addition to the names Kiper mentioned, some of the most notable talent remaining who are highest on the consensus board includes players like Illinois DT Johnny Newton, Georgia WR Ladd McConkey, Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and West Virginia C Zach Frazier.

You can bet these players will be flying off the board when Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft opens back up tonight. Keep your eyes peeled!