As recently as two years ago, a Group of Five prospect was selected in the top five of the NFL Draft when Sauce Gardner of Cincinnati went to the New York Jets fourth overall in 2022.
Will another G5 player go that high in 2024? That doesn’t seem likely right now, but there very well could be multiple players from the Group of Five conferences who are selected in the first round.
Here are the five individuals who have the strongest cases to be the first G5 player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell
Quinyon Mitchell is the most obvious answer here. He’s being projected by several outlets to be taken in the first round of the draft, and some draft experts have him in the top 20 on their big boards.
And that’s for good reason. Mitchell was the highest-graded cornerback in the entire FBS by Pro Football Focus. He was named an All-American by several entities and was a first-teamer on the HERO Sports Group of Five All-American list.
In 2023, he allowed 27 receptions on 62 targets for 290 yards. He was second in the nation with 14 pass breakups. In fact, he’s Toledo’s all-time leader in pass breakups with 46 as he led the country in 2022 with 25 passes defended.
Listed at 6-foot, 196 pounds in college, Mitchell has the resume to be a first-round pick and the tape to back it up. He also shined at the Senior Bowl this offseason and could continue to cement his case as a top-notch prospect at the NFL Combine.
Colorado State EDGE Mohamed Kamara
Mohamed Kamara continued to improve during his career at Colorado State until he became one of the premier pass rushers in the country in 2023.
In 2021, Kamara totaled 36 tackles, 9.5 for loss, and 7.5 sacks while starting multiple games. He then tallied 44 tackles and 16 TFLs, ranking second in the Mountain West with 1.33 TFLs per game, to go with 8.5 sacks, which was third in the conference.
And in 2023, he was top five in the country with 13 sacks and 64 pressures while chalking up 56 tackles and 17 TFLs. PFF ranked him 15th among all EDGE players.
At 6-1, 250 pounds in college, Kamara could line up at multiple spots in the NFL. But no matter where he is, he usually finds a way to be productive.
Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
Malachi Corley has been one of the best wide receivers in Conference USA the past few years.
Going back to 2021, Corley caught 73 passes for 691 yards and seven touchdowns. The following season, he eclipsed 1,000 yards by totaling 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns on 101 receptions.
And last year, he was a G5 All-American and first-team All-CUSA selection after racking up 984 yards and 11 touchdowns on 79 catches. He’s WKU’s all-time leader with 259 receptions while ranking second in the program’s record books with 29 touchdown receptions and third with 3,033 yards through the air.
He’s continued to stand out this offseason, being named the Senior Bowl National Team’s top wide receiver.
Arguably Corley’s strongest attribute is his playmaking ability once the ball is in his hands. This past year, 683 of his 984 yards were after the catch. NFL teams will surely value that.
Tulane QB Michael Pratt
Michael Pratt has been a starter at Tulane since 2020 and has done plenty to earn a spot as an NFL Draft selection in the first three rounds.
As a freshman, he threw for 1,806 yards and 20 touchdowns, which was the most by any true freshman in the country in 2020, and eight interceptions. The following year, he totaled 2,390 passing yards, 2,544 all-purpose yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight picks — putting together seven straight games with a touchdown pass — en route to making the All-AAC honorable mention list.
In 2022, he threw for 2,684 yards, 25 touchdowns — which were all in the top five at Tulane for a single season — and five interceptions. He added 494 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
And in 2023, he continued to thrive, earning G5 All-American status and becoming the AAC Player of the Year. He threw for 2,406 yards, 22 touchdowns, and five picks on a career-best 65% completion rate.
Quarterbacks are naturally drafted high by NFL teams, and Pratt is the best G5 signal caller on the board this year.
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Western Michigan DL Marshawn Kneeland
Marshawn Kneeland has been quickly rising up draft boards and is among the top five players on the HERO Sports Group of Five big board.
In 2022, Kneeland played in nine games and racked up 37 tackles, 10 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks. But he took a major step forward as a pass rusher in 2023, recording 37 pressures, 28 hurries, and 4.5 sacks to go with 57 tackles and 7.5 TFLs. He was tied for ninth in PFF’s rankings of EDGE players as he was a second-team All-MAC performer.
Kneeland was listed as 6-3, 275 pounds in college. He has the potential to be a versatile playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. And while he didn’t have the best stats among these players in college, NFL teams might recognize that potential and not want to wait very long to draft him.
