Each year, the NFL draft results in some players being selected who are viewed as steals, and others who are viewed as reaches. Landing a steal can put a team on the fast track to Super Bowl contention, but ending up with a reach can set a team back by many years. As the dust settles on the 2024 NFL Draft, we have an early analysis of five players who could be ranked among the best steals of the class a few years down the road.

These five players fell largely because of question marks around health, a historic run on quarterbacks, and how teams valued their position. Some teams see things that others don’t, and these 2024 draft steals could prove incredibly valuable to their new franchises.

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Quinyon Mitchell

Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was widely expected to go in the top half of the first round, with some pre-draft rumors indicating that the Pittsburgh Steelers were considering attempting to trade up with the Denver Broncos to acquire the 12th overall pick and select Mitchell. This deal did not end up coming to fruition and the Steelers passed on Mitchell when they were on the clock with the 20th pick in favor of beefing up their offensive line.

The 2024 NFL Draft featured a historical run on offensive players, particularly quarterbacks and offensive linemen. With offensive players flying off the board, teams that needed defenders were able to select some top-10 talents in the back half of the first round.

The Philadelphia Eagles were beneficiaries of this trend, securing the star cornerback with the 24th overall pick. On paper, the Eagles have decent corners on their roster already. However, Darius Slay and James Bradberry are both getting up there in age and Philly needs to find their replacements sooner rather than later. Mitchell is good enough to potentially be a starter from day one, and he will be a contributor to the Eagles' defense for years to come.

Troy Fautanu

Washington tackle Troy Fautanu is one of the top five tackles in this year's draft class, and he has an argument as one of the top two. For him to fall all the way to the 20th pick was shocking, but Omar Khan was happy to take him and Steelers fans will not complain.

Fautanu grew up as a Steelers fan, and his aggressive mentality is a perfect match for what the Steelers want to do.

Rome Odunze

While Marvin Harrison Jr. was largely considered to be the best wide receiver prospect in this year's class, Odunze has a legitimate claim as the second-best and the gap between these two players is closer than people think. Odunze had a very productive college career and can excel in any role his team asks of him.

He can play outside or in the slot. He's equally adept at beating man coverage or finding soft spots in zone defenses and settling down for his quarterback to find him. Odunze has great hands and fluidity. He can create separation and has a great command of the route tree.

The Bears wanted to revamp their passing game in this year's NFL draft, and drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick was essentially guaranteed. However, many mock drafts had the Bears either taking an offensive tackle or one of the second-tier receivers pass catchers with the 9th pick.

There were numerous options available, such as LSU's Brian Thomas Jr., Adonai Mitchell or Xavier Worthy from Texas, or tight end Brock Bowers from Georgia. However, very few analysts expected Odunze or Malik Nabers to still be available without Chicago needing to trade up.

The New York Giants selected Nabers with the sixth overall pick, but a run on quarterbacks led to Odunze falling right into Chicago's lap when they were on the clock with the 9th pick.

The first round of the 2024 NFL draft could not have gone better for the Bears. Caleb Williams and Odunze will form a dynamic quarterback-wide receiver combination that will revitalize Chicago's passing game for years to come.

Adonai Mitchell

Mitchell was widely projected to be a late first-round pick, and he ended up falling all the way to the 52nd pick. He's a talented receiver who profiles as an X receiver and could be a team's go-to target on the outside. He has great hands and excellent release skills to beat defenders at the line of scrimmage. He'll pair well with Michael Pittman Jr. and give Anthony Richardson two talented targets to help further the young quarterback's development.

Jackson Powers-Johnson

Jackson Powers-Johnson was widely viewed as a first-round caliber talent in the NFL Draft, and he was a popular pick for teams looking for offensive line help including the Pittsburgh Steelers. JPJ ended up going to the Las Vegas Raiders in the second round, and his nasty demeanor and physical blocking will bring some grit and toughness to the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas.

Powers-Johnson is an absolute road grader who gets to the second level with ease and wreaks havoc amongst opposing linebackers. He's equally dominant in pass coverage, allowing just one pressure and zero sacks through more than 470 pass-blocking reps in 2023.

The University of Oregon product excels in both phases of the game and will be a joy for Raiders fans to watch in the coming seasons.