Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice: Jonathon Brooks, Braelon Allen, Cody Schrader (2024 Fantasy Football)

It’s that time again. Dynasty rookie FEVER SZN is HERE! The NFL Draft will come and go before we know it, and rookie drafts will start flying daily. Before you dive head first into our Draft Simulator and run 3,000 rookie drafts in preparation, please read up on this talented prospect class as I roll through my quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end positional primers.

Motrin and Tylenol can’t quell this fever. The only medicine is more rookie mock drafts.

DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers: WR | QB | RB
2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
2024 NFL Draft Guide
2024 Draft Scouting Reports

Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice

Jonathon Brooks (Texas)

Stats:

2023 (minimum 100 carries, 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 21st
- Breakaway percentage: 42nd
- PFF elusive rating: 9th
- Yards per route run: 21st

Scouting report:

Workhorse back. In six of his ten full games played last season, he had at least 20 carries. Brooks has a muscular, thick frame to handle the 15-20 touches per game at the next level.
Brooks is a tough assignment for defenders. He combines fluid movements with strong contact balance and can get skinny through the hole. If it’s him versus one defender in the second level, he’s likely making that person miss. Shoestring tackles aren’t going to bring him down. He bounces off defenders and keeps his legs driving with the ability to pick up 5-10 yards after first contact religiously.
Brooks has the raw speed to hit dingers if he can get into the second level, but his second gear isn’t elite. His lateral movements at the line and in traffic are silky smooth, as he can teleport two feet sideways in a blink of an eye.
Brooks was only tasked with being a check-down option in the passing game in 2023. He has soft hands but does have the occasional concentration drop. He transitions well, though, from receiver to rusher. His footwork in space and vision in traffic allows him to turn dump-offs into nice gains.

Player Comp: Melvin Gordon

Braelon Allen (Wisconsin)

Stats:

2023 (minimum 100 carries, 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 29th
- Breakaway percentage: 54th
- PFF elusive rating: 49th
- Yards per route run: 92nd

2022 (minimum 100 carries, 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 100th
- Breakaway percentage: 52nd
- PFF elusive rating: 91st
- Yards per route run: 0.85 (only 18 targets*)

2021 (minimum 100 carries, 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 4th
- Breakaway percentage: 16th
- PFF elusive rating: 26th
- Yards per route run: 0.59 (only 12 targets*)

Scouting report:

Allen likely slots in as the early down thunder component to a committee. Allen is a volume-compiling grinding thumper back. Allen has a strong leg drive and can lower his shoulder and maul a defender. Once he gets a head of steam, defenders have to wrap him well, or they slide off him like water.
He’ll be at his best in the NFL in a gap/power run game scheme. The aim should be to get Allen moving downhill immediately. Once Allen is into the second level of a defense, his combination of power and nimble feet really plays up. He has impressive footwork and lateral agility for his size to compensate for an average burst.
Allen can churn out chunk plays with his lateral agility and power, but you won’t see many home runs in the NFL as his long speed isn’t there. Allen has decent bend, but don’t expect him to change directions once he’s moving downhill wildly. Once this train gets rolling, he can bend onto a side track, but you won’t see acrobatic start/stop theatrics.
Allen is a functional pass catcher. He was utilized on check-downs and pop passes in college, so I don’t expect him to develop into a priority pass game weapon in the NFL.

Player Comp: Peyton Hillis

Cody Schrader (Missouri)

Stats:

2023 (minimum 100 carries, 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 95th
- Breakaway percentage: 86th
- PFF elusive rating: 106th
- Yards per route run: 95th

2022 (minimum 100 carries, 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 103rd
- Breakaway percentage: 114th
- PFF elusive rating: 125th
- Yards per route run: 106th

Scouting report:

Schrader’s vision allows him to be scheme versatile. He quickly diagnoses lanes with inside zone runs and is adept at operating on stretch zone plays. Schrader’s lateral agility is underrated, which also plays into his prowess for outside zone. His burst is only adequate at best, though, which could limit his ability in the pros. To operate in the outside zone in the NFL, he’ll need a very good offensive line, but he could have success with inside zone thanks to his vision and his tendency to get downhill immediately on those plays. Schrader compensates for lacking special burst by maximizing each run, thanks to his vision.
He has average burst and speed at the collegiate level, but Schrader will have issues in the NFL. Schrader has a mild second gear, but he lacks “shot out of a cannon” or “run away from you speed” which leads to plenty of runs where he’s caught from behind. This will only be more exacerbated against NFL talent. He’s very dependent upon his offensive line. He’ll get what’s blocked but not a ton after that, and he cannot create a ton of yards for himself.
While not an imposing tackle breaker, Schrader can shed arm tackles or defenders that come at him high. He does so with adequate to good leg drive. Schrader will flash the occasional spin move when a defender hits him high or a stiff arm, but neither are go-to weapons in his tackle-breaking arsenal. There are plenty of reps where defenders square him up, though, and blow him out of his cleats.
Schrader has soft hands and displays some skills as a receiver. This is the untapped area of his game that could be expanded upon in the NFL. He wasn’t utilized creatively in college, with only check-downs and the occasional wheel route, but he has the foot skills to believe that he could possibly develop into a receiving weapon in the NFL. His pass protection abilities or struggles in this area could limit his usage on passing downs, though. Schrader has plenty of reps on tape where he squares up defenders and gets blown back. He is also not a max-effort guy with some reps where he merely attempts to chip a defender, which does nothing to impede the rusher’s path to the quarterback.
Schrader should find a home on an NFL roster/practice squad as a dependable player who will get every blade of grass that’s blocked for him. His vision and solid overall game make him a dependable guy that coaches will love.

Player Comp: Jalen Richard