Jonathon Brooks

Panthers traded up with the Colts to select Texas RB Jonathon Brooks with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Panthers gave away the 52nd, along with picks No. 142 and No. 155, to move up to No. 46 and select Brooks. Buried behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson on the depth chart in 2021-22, Brooks (6’0/216) finally emerged No. 1 triumphant in 2023 with 187/1,139/10/6.1 in 11 games. It should have been 15 games, but Brooks tore his ACL on November 11th against TCU. Supposedly already running again, Brooks looked like the complete NFL package last season, creating 63 missed tackles, producing 24 runs of 10-plus yards, and catching 25 passes. He was trusted as a genuine receiver and not just a safety valve, aligning 2.5 percent of the time in the slot and splitting out wide on a further seven percent of his routes. That means he was actually trusted to execute a route and catch the ball. Brooks is also an excellent pass blocker, perhaps the best in the entire class. If not for the knee injury, Brooks would have undoubtedly been a more hyped prospect. As it is, he remains three months shy of his 21st birthday and should be a dynasty league factor for years to come. New head coach Dave Canales has put a strong emphasis on the running game this offseason, which could make Brooks a strong value in fantasy drafts.