Previewing landing spots for Missouri players in the 2024 NFL Draft

It is finally draft week. On Thursday, the NFL world will be locked in on Detroit, Michigan as the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft takes place. Then, the second and third rounds will happen on Friday before rounds 4-7 get underway on Saturday.

Over 250 players will hear their names be called during the three-day event and there's a chance that several of them who played for Missouri last season will be a part of the 250-plus.

PowerMizzou will be in Detroit to document Darius Robinson's draft week experience, as well as provide coverage on all Mizzou players who do get drafted during the three-day event.

But before that, let's see where some of Missouri's draft prospects are mocked to go using the recent mock drafts of NFL.com's Chad Reuter and The Athletic's Dane Brugler.

Robinson was the only Tiger to receive and accept an invite to the green room. The Southfield, Michigan native has been projected to be a late first-round pick to an early second-round pick.

Robinson was one of five Tigers to be named a first-team All-SEC selection in 2023, and earned the honor after racking up 43 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

His ability to play at defensive end or defensive tackle has helped improved his draft stock over the last 12 months.

Reuter has the hometown Lions taking Robinson in the first round while Brugler has the Lions' NFC North counterparts, the Green Bay Packers, selecting Robinson in the second round.

Reuter: (1.29) to the Lions

Brugler: (2.41) to the Packers

Rakestraw had some early draft buzz to go in the first round but it has waned a little bit ( most likely due to injury concerns). Over the last month or two, he's usually been mocked firmly in the middle-to-late second round.

In nine games last season, he recorded 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, four pass deflections and a forced fumble.

Reuter has Rakestraw joining Robinson in Detroit as a late second-round pick, while Brugler has Washington selecting Rakestraw in the early-to-mid second round via a projected trade with the Bears.

Washington's draft needs are quarterback, offensive tackle, EDGE, cornerback, wide receiver.

Reuter: (2.61) to the Lions

Brugler: (2.40) to the Commanders

A team needing a cornerback in the third or fourth round may want to look at Kris Abrams-Draine, who has been lauded for his ball skills and his ability to play multiple coverages.

Abrams-Draine was a first-team All-SEC selection last year after recording 51 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 13 pass deflections, four interceptions and a forced fumble.

Both Reuter and Brugler have Abrams-Draine going out west to Los Angeles but Reuter believes the 5-foot-11, 179-pounder will be joining the Chargers, while Brugler has him joining the Rams.

Reuter: (4.105) to the Chargers

Brugler: (3.99) to the Rams

A team needing a weakside linebacker with sideline-to-sideline athleticism may want to draft Ty'Ron Hopper, who really flashed his speed and playmaking ability across two seasons in Columbia.

Reuter has the Chiefs picking up Hopper in the middle of the fifth round while Brugler has Hopper joining Robinson in Green Bay as a sixth-round selection.

Reuter: (5.159) to the Chiefs

Brugler: (6.202) to the Packers

After consecutive seasons as an All-SEC selection, a team wanting to invest in a left tackle early on Day 3 may be looking for Javon Foster.

The 6-foot-5, 313- pounder was one of two tackles in this draft class (Joe Alt) to have PFF run blocking and pass blocking grades north of 80.

His pass blocking grade was 80.9 and his run blocking grade was 85.8.

Reuter and Brugler have Chicago taking a chance on the Detroit-native in the fourth round.

Reuter: (4.122) to the Bears

Brugler: (4.122) to the Bears

It's likely that around this same time last year, no team had Cody Schrader as a draftable player after recording 745 yards and nine touchdowns in his first season at Mizzou. Well, a lot can change in a year. Schrader was a consensus All-American and finished in the top 10 of Heisman voting after breaking the Mizzou single-season rushing record with 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Reuter has the Bills taking a fifth-round flier on the 2023 Burlsworth Trophy winner, and Brugler has Schrader going to the Rams in the same round.

Reuter: (5.160) to the Bills

Brugler: (5.155) to the Rams

Jaylon Carlies is still listed as a free safety but the thought around him has been that a team may convert him to a linebacker. At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, with the ability to run a 4.5 40-yard dash, Carlies may have slightly boosted his draft stock with his combine performance. He mentioned at Missouri's Pro Day he's willing to make the position change if that's what his future team requires of him.

Using mock draft machines, Carlies is typically a sixth round selection but both Reuter and Brugler have Carlies being an undrafted free agent.

Reuter: UDFA

Brugler: UDFA

"The Thicker Kicker" Harrison Mevis had a strong bounce back 2023 season that saw him hit two-game winning field goals, including an SEC-record 61-yarder against No. 15 Kansas State. He connected on 24-of-30 field goal attempts (80%) and finished his career connecting on 83.5% of his field goals.

Typically, many kickers don't get drafted and it doesn't appear like Mevis will hear his name during the draft 一 but after the draft is a different story.

Mevis has a chance to get drafted but it's more likely he's a priority UDFA after Mr. Irrelevant is called on Saturday.

Neither Reuter or Brugler have Mevis being drafted. Instead, the former has Alabama's Will Reichard as the only kicker being drafted, going to the Rams at No. 155 in the fifth round. Meanwhile, Brugler has Reichard going to the Lions at No. 201 in the seventh round as well as Arkansas' Cameron Little going to the Jaguars 35 selections later at No. 236.

Reuter: UDFA

Brugler: UDFA

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