Missouri football cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine is officially an NFL rookie after being picked by the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Broncos used a fifth-round pick — No. 145 overall — to secure the standout college corner.
Abrams-Draine is the fifth Mizzou player to come off the board, following first-round selection Darius Robinson (Arizona Cardinals, No. 27 ); the other half of MU's talented cornerback tandem, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Detroit Lions, No. 61) ; linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper (Green Bay Packers, No. 91) ; and offensive lineman Javon Foster (Jacksonville Jaguars, No. 117).
Here's what Abrams-Draine brings to Denver, based on his career with Mizzou:
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Abrams-Draine is versatile. No, seriously.
He played quarterback in high school in Spanish Fort (Ala.). He was originally recruited by Missouri as a wide receiver, before switching over to nickel as an underclassman. One more switch did the trick: In his penultimate collegiate season, he moved over to corner, and the results really started to show. During his time at Mizzou, he showed he was comfortable in a number of coverages.
He's a ball hawk, keeps his eyes on the quarterback and is comfortable in one-on-one situations. His numbers back that up.
Abrams-Draine is unlikely to step onto a team as a Day 1 starter but is well ahead of the curve in terms of development and, even as a rookie, is a great option to have as a first backup.
Here's Abrams-Draine's other talent: He's got good hands and vision.
Against Tennessee in 2021, he caught a kickoff on his own goal line. He beat out the gunners, he rounded the edge … he took it all the way home up the right sideline. There weren't many home-team highlights that day, as Missouri lost 66-24, but that was one.
That is to say that Abrams-Draine is a threat once the ball is in his hands, and he isn't too bad at tracking the pigskin down, either. He had four interceptions last season, all coming in a five-game span.
But the jump to the pros does come with one concern, as Abrams-Draine checked into the combine at 179 pounds, which is relatively light for an NFL defensive back. It didn't cause him too many problems in college, but he might have to bulk up to become a feature corner in the pros.
Abrams-Draine spent four seasons in college, three of which were on defense and two as a true corner.
He played 38 games on the defensive side of the ball, totaling 40 passes defended, seven interceptions, 135 total tackles — 3.5 of which were for loss — and one fumble recovery.
In his senior season, his 16 passes defended led the SEC. He played all 13 of Missouri's games as the Tigers went 11-2 and defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
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This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Denver drafts Missouri football's Kris Abrams-Draine in 2024 NFL Draft: Pros, cons of pick
