The 49ers were allegedly on the phone with a few teams before their first-round pick but were unable to complete a deal. Instead, the team took Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick and appear to still be working the phones to find a taker for one of their veteran wide receivers. According to Silver, it seems more likely they will now be flipping Deebo than Aiyuk. Of course, this is all speculation at this point, and we have almost 20 hours to go until the draft kicks up for Day Two and we get some answers.

After entering the day without a first-round pick, the Panthers traded the No. 33 pick and No. 141 pick to the Bills in exchange for picks 32 and 200. With that move up, they selected Legette (6’1/221), who has ideal size for an outside receiver, which is where he took 73.6 percent of his snaps from during his five seasons at South Carolina. The former four-star recruit didn’t see much playing time early in his career, totaling just 423 years through his first four seasons. In 2023, Legette broke out for 71-1,255-7 while averaging an impressive 17.7 YPR and 3.15 YPRR – ranking in the top 10 amongst Power Five WRs (min. 60 targets) in both categories. Legette blazed a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and had the sixth-best vertical jump at 40 inches. He’s a late-career breakout who also struggled against press coverage in limited action, but some polishing at the professional level could be all that’s standing between Legette turning into a legitimate threat on the outside. The Panthers will hope Legette is more than just a one-year wonder and can provide help to second-year quarterback Bryce Young.

Pearsall (6’1/189) began his career at Arizona State but didn’t see the field much until his third and final season as a Sun Devil. He went for 580 yards and four scores that year. He then transferred to Florida ahead of the 2022 season. Pearsall’s target share dipped in his first season in Gainesville, but he more than made up for that with absurd gains in his efficiency numbers. He averaged 2.41 yards per route run in 2022 and held steady at 2.23 in the following season. Pearsall peaked at 65 catches for 963 yards in his second and final season at Florida. A sudden player off the line of scrimmage, Pearsall does most of his damage before the catch point. He doesn’t bring much to the table after the catch but gets open quickly with crisp routes and neat footwork. Pearsall will be a plug-and-play slot receiver for San Francisco as a rookie. His addition will also fuel the flames of a potential Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel trade. Both players have reportedly come up in talks, though the fact that neither was moved on the first night of the draft suggests they will both be on the roster for the 2024 season.

In exchange for the No. 28 overall pick, the Chiefs gave up picks No. 32, 95, and 221. They also received back the No. 133 and No. 248 overall pick in this year’s draft. A true freshman breakout for the Tom Herman-coached Longhorns in 2021, Worthy (5’11/165) ripped the Big 12 for 62/981/12 as an 18-year-old. Transitioned to more of a pure deep role under new coach Steve Sarkisian in 2022, Worthy took a major statistical step backward as he converted just 9-of-44 deep targets for grabs. “Sark” adjusted for 2023 by returning Worthy to more all-around usage, including on manufactured short-area targets. It succeeded in sneaking Worthy just past 1,000 yards in a crowded skill corps. It also allowed Worthy to show off his YAC ability, leading this year’s receiver class with an average of 7.5 yards after the catch. Worthy cleaned up some previous drop issues with last season’s lower aDOT. A genuine burner with 4.21 timed speed, Worthy is also a genuine 165. He flat-out needs to get stronger. Even if he doesn’t, Worthy’s ability to both destroy defenses over the top and tack on yards in the middle of the field gives him a high career ceiling headed into his age-21 campaign. The draft’s fastest man now gets to show off his skills in an Andy Reid/Patrick Mahomes-led offense that could be ripe for fantasy production.

Robinson (6’5/285) arrived on campus as a mid three-star recruit from the 2019 class, gradually working his way up the depth chart while honing his craft while rotating between NT and three tech. He finally earned a starting DT role in 2022 and showed promise by recording 35 tackles with 19 pressures and 5.5 TFL for a solid 77.6 PFF defensive grade. Last year is when Robinson emerged as an NFL-caliber player, moving to edge full-time where he spent 499 of his 515 First Team All-SEC reps. He exploded for 42 pressures, 27 stops, 14.0 TFL and 8.5 sacks for a stout Missouri defense that only allowed 20.5 PPG (25th in FBS) in the ultra-competitive SEC. His testing revealed an elite vertical of 35” (98th%) and strong broad jump of 9’03 (85th%) to go with a 90th percentile 4.95s 40-yard dash. However, an uninspiring shuttle run and 21 bench press reps dragged down his overall RAS to a still commendable 7.78. His push/pull is vicious thanks to his vice grip like hands. Once he latches onto an opponent and applies leverage, the rep is over, it’s just a matter of how Robinson intends to control and discard them. The two-year captain has a filled-out frame with massive power and unusual agility running the loop despite his huge frame. He could eventually develop into an every-down contributor if he can hone his pass-rushing technique, but as a fifth-year breakout, his ceiling could be limited. Robinson will begin his career as a pass-rush specialist for an Arizona defense that ranked 30th in sacks per game last year.

In a pick swap with the Cowboys, the Lions traded the No. 29 overall pick and the No. 73 overall pick to move up to pick 24. Arnold (5’116/189) was considered a four-star safety prospect out of high school. He transitioned to cornerback shortly after arriving on campus in 2021 and didn’t play a snap his true freshman season as he acclimated to the pace of play at the SEC level. He started the 2022 season opener opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry and was targeted often downfield until he proved worthy of his CB2 role, leading the Tide with a 16.7 ADOT. While Arnold was overshadowed by McKinstry in 2022, he took a backseat to nobody this year by leading the SEC with 16 PBU and five interceptions with the third-highest PFF defensive grade in the Power Five. At the combine, his 1.52s 10-yard split was a strong 90th% time, but his 4.50s 40-yard dash is a less impressive 70th% mark. Arnold ran a magnificent 6.69s 3-Cone (96th%) at his pro day to go with a 10’09” broad jump (93rd%) for a rock solid 9.27 RAS that verifies the dynamism he displays on the field. His safety background is evident when it’s time to converge on a ball carrier and also in his savvy coverage instincts. Arnold is savvy enough in zone coverage to pick up his responsibility in phase but still keeps his eyes in the backfield reading before peeling off his man and making the play on the ball before the quarterback has released the ball. His oily hips and refined technique help him make up for his modest recovery speed. Arnold is one of the most projectable, scheme-versatile players from a strong 2024 cornerback group.

A truly special deep threat for the Tigers, Thomas (6’3/209) averaged 17.3 yards per reception in 2023 and scored on 17 of his 68 catches. Yes, Thomas quite literally scored one out of every four grabs. Bonkers stuff borne out by the advanced stats, which include Thomas catching 14-of-18 deep looks and earning a 99.9 “deep grade” from PFF. Thomas also corralled 7-of-12 contested targets. The problems set in elsewhere, where Thomas understandably was not featured on manufactured looks. Capable of being bumped off his routes, Thomas enters the league with less “play strength” than the big three of Marvin Harrison, Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze despite his 6-foot-3 frame. Thomas doesn’t so much “play big” as he does burn deep. And burn he does, with a truly absurd-for-his-size 4.33 40 time. On the whole, Thomas needs to add (a lot) more polish to his route-running and underneath game, but his athleticism and deep prowess are both NFL-ready. Just 21 years old, Thomas has ample ceiling to grow into. Thomas could take over Calvin Ridley’s role in the offense now that Ridley is in Tennessee. Ridley made his money by earning targets while pinned to the sideline. Thomas has the speed to blow by defenders, turning those 50/50 balls into easy grabs for Trevor Lawrence.

A four-star OG from the 2019 prep cycle, Fautanu (6’4/317) effectively took redshirts in his first two seasons, logging just 12 offensive snaps in that span before being called upon to start three of the seven games he played in 2021. There was a “bend, but don’t break” element to Fautanu’s final season at Washington, as he struggled with UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and the “Pass-Rushing Murphy Brothers,” allowing four pressures to a rugged Bruins edge group. While Fautanu allowed 23 pressures and a somewhat elevated 2.7% pressure rate, he still allowed only three hits on star QB Michael Penix Jr. in 584 pass reps. The third-team AP All-American was remarkably consistent this year, recording a 71st-percentile pass block grade in every game on the schedule while never allowing more than two pressures in any contest for the Pac-12 Champs. His combine testing confirmed his freakish speed/power capabilities, testing in the 94th percentile on both the broad (9’05”) and vertical jump (32.5) along with a blazing 5.01s 40-yard dash (96th%) combined for a 9.45 RAS score. He utilizes balance, flexibility, and active hands to stay between his man and the quarterback in pass pro, which helps offset a tendency to get dislodged by stiff bull rushes. Could stand to be more precise when seeking out second-level blocks and is older than most of his OT prospect contemporaries, as he turns 24 in October. Fautanu has tweener dimensions, which could eventually kick him inside. He has the talent to be a staple in the lineup at either tackle or guard for whichever team selects him.

Verse (6’4/254) worked his way up from the lower levels of college football, attending Albany for his first two seasons before transferring to Tallahassee to play for the Seminoles in 2022. He wasted little time making an impact at the FBS level, posting the eighth-highest PFF pass rush grade in the Power Five (88.6) with 17.0 TFL and 9.0 sacks, though he produced an elevated 27% missed tackle rate en route to being named First Team All-ACC. The Dayton, Ohio native would go on to exceed even those lofty standards this year, creating the second-most pressures in the nation (62) with a sterling 91st percentile pass rush grade that ranked fifth overall. An ACC quarterback’s worst nightmare, Verse was responsible for an 11.7% pressure rate (4th in P5) and 21.8% Win Rate (2nd in P5) in passing situations. Verse performed the full range of tests at the combine. He ran a 1.59s 10-yard split (95th%) and 4.58s 40-yard dash (9.78s) at 254 pounds, which are breathtaking times for his size. His 31 bench reps were five more than the next closest edge in the 2024 group, and second among all Combine defenders, for an extraordinary 9.60 Relative Athletic Score. He explodes into contact and unleashes a furious bull rush that can stagger even the most rooted OTs, which sets up a devastating push-pull move. Verse will sometimes lose sight of the ball carrier and over-pursue, leaving himself vulnerable to cutbacks. Still, he has a captivating power-edge profile with verified athleticism that bears a resemblance to Boye Mafe. After watching Aaron Donald retire this offseason, the Rams wasted no time retooling their pass rush by making Verse their first round-one pick since Jared Goff in 2016.

Murphy (6'1/297) wasted little time making an impact as a true freshman, splitting his 298 snaps evenly between the A and B gaps and earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year notice. He rotated in behind NFL Draftees Moro Ojomo and Keondre Coburn recording an 83rd percentile PFF overall grade his sophomore year. Murphy finally assumed a starting role in 2023 and proceeded to run roughshod over the B12, racking up 45 pressures (3rd in FBS) and 21 stops while living in opposing backfields. When it’s time to pin his ears back on third downs the Texas three-tech generated a sensational 17.5% pressure rate, while his 91st percentile overall grade ranked second nationally among DTs behind only his linemate T’Vondre Sweat. The reigning Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and Second Team All-American showed no fear at the Combine, performing every test and drill at the event. He wowed spectators with a 95th percentile 4.87s 40-yard dash, 33” vert (93rd%), and a 4.5s shuttle (87th%) for an exceptional 9.22 RAS. Murphy slashes his way through his chosen gap on a routine basis and is a constant agitator up the middle in both phases of the game. His biggest concern is his sub-optimal 6’004” height and 32.275” arms hinder his ability to be a three-down NFL contributor, but there’s no doubt he can be a valued rotational piece. His best-case scenario is to be used like Ed Oliver in Buffalo.