Round 4, No. 117: Colts draft Wisconsin C Tanor Bortolini (2024)

Three days and 257 picks later, the 2024 NFL Draft is over.

From No. 1 (Bears quarterback Caleb Williams) to No. 257 (Jets safety Jaylen Key), you can catch up on all of the action here, with news, analysis and reaction from The Athletic's NFL staff.

View every selection in our pick-by-pick tracker.

Required reading

• 2024 NFL Draft by the numbers
• Best undrafted free agents

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The Indianapolis Colts selected Wisconsin center Tanor Bortolini with the 117th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Bortolini: A three-year starter at Wisconsin, Bortolini (and his Joe Tippman-inspired mullet) played center this past season in offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s multiple run scheme.

After filling in at tackle, guard and center his first few seasons in Madison, he expected a return to guard in 2023, but an injury pushed him inside to center, where he anchored a Badgers’ offensive line that had the same starting five for all 12 regular-season games.

Bortolini, who broke Jason Kelce’s combine record with the best three-cone (7.16 seconds) among interior linemen, might have the best combination of athleticism and smarts in this draft class.

He lacks ideal length to create separation and is guilty of excessive forward lean into contact, but he will strain to finish cutoffs and eventually settle versus power rushers.

Overall, Bortolini had persistent hiccups on his 2023 tape, but the guard-to-center transition is rarely immediate, and he offers encouraging upside, thanks to his fluidity, intelligence and technical skill.

He projects as an eventual NFL starter with position flexibility across the interior.

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected LSU defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson with the 116th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Jefferson: A one-year starter at LSU, Jefferson was an interchangeable defensive tackle in former defensive coordinator Matt House’s even fronts.

After four seasons at West Virginia, he transferred to Baton Rouge for the 2023 season and finished second on the team in tackles for loss (7.0), despite ranking 10th on the team in defensive snaps played (his role increased over the second half of the season after Mekhi Wingo was injured).

Jefferson is at his best as a one-gapper, where he can recognize pre-snap movement and use his initial quickness to gain the upper hand. Though he has desired length, he doesn’t always use it to his advantage and lacks ideal body flexibility and contract balance once engaged, which also limits his tackling range.

Overall, Jefferson needs to develop his technical efficiency to be more disruptive, but his burst off the ball and upper-body strength can give him an early advantage into battle.

He projects as a rotational lineman on the interior who still has some upside left.

You can rarely go wrong with Iowa tight ends.

The big question with All will be health. Underwent "life-changing spinal surgery," in 2022, according to Dane Brugler. Then tore his ACL last season.

But yes, if healthy, he looks the part.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Iowa tight end Erick All Jr. with the 115th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on All: A one-year starter at Iowa, All was a “move” tight end in former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s pro-style spread scheme (56.2 percent of his snaps in the slot, 41.3 percent inline). After four years in Ann Arbor, he needed a fresh start following his 2022 back injury.

He then led Iowa in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2023, despite missing the final seven games (ACL tear).

A promising pass catcher, All shows athletic movements up and down the field with natural tracking skills, although he needs to cut back on focus drops. Though he is more strong than powerful, All is competent as a blocker with his ability to locate and hook defenders from the backfield or wing.

Overall, All needs to continue developing his consistency, but he is solid across the board with his athletic receiving traits and willingness as a blocker.

If healthy (a big “if”), he projects as a No. 2 tight end on an NFL depth chart, as an F tight end or H-back.

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Missouri offensive tackle Javon Foster with the 114th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Foster: A three-year starter at Missouri, Foster was entrenched at left tackle in offensive coordinator Kirby Moore’s RPO, zone-based run scheme. After not playing football or lifting weights until he was 16, he made noticeable improvements during his time in Columbia and earned first team All-SEC as a super senior in 2023.

A long-limbed, high-cut blocker, Foster is at his best when he properly uses his length and redirect strength to widen defenders in the run game or stymie rushers off the edge.

However, he has lunging tendencies and bad habits often leave him out-leveraged (also finished with the second-most penalties in the SEC in 2023).

Overall, Foster isn’t a great bender, and his footwork and technique must continue to improve. But his size, strength and functional movements are a solid starting point for an NFL team looking for a developmental prospect.

He projects as a backup left tackle with a chance to be more.

Per Pro Football Reference, the 2023 NFL Draft saw the second-lowest number of running backs drafted in a season. The 18 players selected at that position was tied with 2020 for that next to last mark and only three ahead of the last place pace of 15 in 2010.

This draft may end up giving 2010 a run for the money for fewest running backs selected. We are nearly halfway through the fourth round and only four running backs have been taken thus far (Jonathon Brooks, Trey Benson, Blake Corum and MarShawn Lloyd).

Given the respective positional needs for the teams on the board in Round 4, that number may not move up by much headed into Round 5.

Theo Johnson: An ascending tight end over his four seasons at Penn State, Theo Johnson was solid in 2023 with 34 catches for 341 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.

With tremendous size (6-6, 259) and speed (4.57 in the 40) plus a large wingspan (80 ¾), Johnson seems to offer more as a prospect than what he showed with the Nittany Lions. The Giants bet on Johnson’s upside and this is insurance in case Darren Waller decides to retire.

Devontez Walker: A productive receiver at Kent State in 2022, Tez Walker transferred to North Carolina to be closer to his family. He got denied an immediate waiver by the NCAA but eventually was allowed to play.

In eight games (six starts), Walker caught 41 passes for 699 yards (17 yards per catch) and seven scores for the Tar Heels. Walker has good size (6-1 ¼, 193) and electrifying speed (4.36 40 time).

He will stretch defenses immediately and should become a big-time weapon in Baltimore.

The newest Charger, Justin Eboigbe, on coming back from neck/spinal cord surgery in 2022: "It wasn't any luck. It was just work."

He says he can squat up to 600 lbs now, and the neck does not require any maintenance.

The Baltimore Ravens selected North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker with the 113th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Walker: A one-year starter at North Carolina, Walker was an outside receiver in offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey’s scheme, lining up almost exclusively to the right of the formation.

His fight for eligibility last season received national attention, and his impact on the Tar Heels’ offense was obvious once he took the field.

With a high average depth of target in 2023 (18.2 yards), Walker did his best work downfield using his acceleration, tracking skills and ability to change gears when the ball was in the air. However, he won’t get easy looks in the NFL, and his route running is begging for improved footwork, tempo and overall deception to help him uncover on intermediate routes.

Overall, Walker is a vertical/stretch receiver who requires a linear route tree, but he is a big-play threat with a promising catch radius and the speed to climb on top of coverage.

He must develop better consistency in his routes and hands to be more than a complementary outside option.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Mississippi State cornerback Decamerion Richardson with the 112th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler on Richardson: A two-year starter at Mississippi State, Richardson was an outside cornerback in former coach Zach Arnett’s split-coverage scheme.

Although his lack of ball production stands out, he led the Bulldogs with seven passes defended in 2023 and led all SEC cornerbacks in tackles both his junior and senior seasons.

A rangy, long-limbed corner, Richardson has outstanding speed to play sticky coverage, and he is one of the best tackling cornerbacks in the draft class. However, he labors when attempting to find the football in coverage — by the time he gets his hands involved at the catch point, the completion is often already on the stat sheet.

Overall, Richardson’s inability to consistently make plays on the football is a red flag, but his size/speed traits and ascending talent are tools that defensive coaches will want to develop in the NFL.

He projects as a developmental press-man cornerback.

There are low expectations for the New England passing game this year, but fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should strongly consider adding Javon Baker to their rosters.

Baker ranked second in the FBS last year in yards per reception (21.9) and has a varied skill set that the Patriots will work hard to develop. He could end up being a strong starter down the road and may provide some spot start value this season.

The Green Bay Packers selected Oregon safety Evan Williams with the 111th pick after a trade with the New York Jets.

The Athletic NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler on Williams: A one-year starter at Oregon, Williams was a versatile safety in head coach Dan Lanning’s balanced scheme. After four years at Fresno State, he transferred to Eugene for the 2023 season and led the Ducks in tackles, finishing his college career with 45 starts.

Although he has the size of a free safety, Williams has the mentality of a box safety, with his disciplined run support and eagerness to drop the hammer.

Though he reacts well to front-facing throws, he has a tough time locating the ball downfield, and his coverage busts lead to big plays for the offense.

Overall, Williams doesn’t have playmaking instincts in the deep half of the field, but he is an energetic field presence with a trigger and toughness that are easy to appreciate. He projects as a backup strong safety and core special teamer in the mold of Alohi Gilman.

The Broncos helped Bo Nix out by trading up to draft Troy Franklin, but the betting public still thinks Nix has relatively low expectations when it comes to his 2024 passing yards total.

Here are his over/under passing yards betting odds, along with the over/under totals for the other rookie quarterbacks (the yardage totals are all per BetMGM and the odds for either side of the wager are -110):

• Bo Nix: 3050.5
• J.J. McCarthy: 3200.5
• Jayden Daniels: 3300.5

Six quarterbacks were selected in the opening 12 picks for the first time ever. And now the conversation will turn to who will succeed and who will bust out of the NFL.

As expected, Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears), Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders) and Drake Maye (New England Patriots) were the first three players off the board. Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta Falcons, No. 8), J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings, No. 10) and Bo Nix (Denver Broncos, No. 12) completed the historic stretch.

This first round will forever be used to measure future QB classes. How this class will be remembered, however, hinges on everything that happens from here on out.

Understandably, the pre-draft narrative is centered around a quarterback’s strengths and weaknesses, but a young QB’s performance greatly hinges upon his team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Let’s rank those six landing spots and why each QB is set up for success and failure.

We've got a trade!

The Jets got the Packers' fourth (No. 126) and sixth (No. 190) in their trade back from No. 111.

The New England Patriots selected UCF wide receiver Javon Baker with the 110th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Baker: A two-year starter at UCF, Baker was used across the formation in coach Gus Malzahn’s up-tempo spread attack (72.9 percent of his 2023 snaps came outside, 27.1 percent inside).

After he struggled to see offensive snaps in his two seasons at Alabama, he transferred to UCF and led the team in receiving in 2023, ranking No. 2 in the FBS in yards per catch (21.9).

Baker is a good-sized athlete with explosive flashes to create on YAC-designed plays (tunnels, swing screens, etc.) or win deep (his 21 catches of 20-plus yards in 2023 ranks fourth best in the draft class, behind Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze and Malik Washington).

He can make some wild catches with his body control and length, but the drops and inconsistencies at the catch point can be maddening.

Overall, Baker is a loose-striding athlete with ball-tracking skills, although his tape is full of inefficiencies and question marks that didn’t allow him to consistently showcase his talent. He projects as a developmental Z receiver with starting upside.

The Atlanta Falcons selected Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus with the 109th pick.

The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Dorlus: A three-year starter at Oregon, Dorlus played up and down the line of scrimmage in defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s scheme, playing on the edge, over the tackle and on the interior. Over the last three years, he earned All-Pac-12 honors each season and posted nearly identical pressure numbers (46 in 2023, 46 in 2022 and 42 in 2021).

With his quick first step and long, strong arms, Dorlus can make his presence felt from various angles across the defensive line.

He showed improved handwork in 2023 but is more of a “throw everything but the kitchen sink” type of player and needs to continue improving his pad level and building a move-to-move plan to be more efficient once engaged.

Overall, Dorlus needs to find better consistency on a snap-to-snap basis, but he has the natural power and agility to be a versatile disruptor in an NFL defensive line rotation. He projects best as a base end (in even or odd fronts) who can also reduce inside on subpackages.