Mizzou’s Kris Abrams-Draine & Jaylon Carlies selected in 5th round of 2024 NFL Draft

Two Missouri Tigers defenders were selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

First off the board was cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, who heard his named called at pick No. 145 to the Denver Broncos.

The next Tiger didn’t have to wait long.

The Indianapolis Colts selected four-year Tiger safety Jaylon Carlies in the fifth round at No. 151 overall.

Abrams-Draine led the SEC in passes defended this past season (13). He earned a 6.25 prospect grade at the NFL Scouting Combine this year, placing him in the “will eventually be an average starter” category per the NFL’s grading system.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein called Abrams-Draine “a talented prospect with good football intelligence and the versatility to fit in with teams desiring to mix up coverages.”

“He’s on the slender side and will need to prove he can handle both man coverage and run-support duties against an upgrade in size,” Zierlein continued. “His confidence and cover skills improved last year, but his ball skills and instincts have always been good.”

Carlies, on the other hand, recorded 64 tackles in 2023. The safety also recorded two interceptions on the year.

Despite missing the season opener due to injury, Carlies started the remaining 12 games of the season, including the Cotton Bowl, where he recorded a season-high 11 tackles in the win over Ohio State.

Carlies recorded a 5.67 prospect grade at this year’s combine. Zierlein noted his best chance to make an NFL roster could come at linebacker.

“Carlies likely needs to make the transition from safety to linebacker to have an opportunity in the NFL. He’s very tight in his hips and plays with a debilitating lack of change of direction that causes problems for him in coverage and as an open-field tackler,” Zierlein said. “As a linear mover, he needs to be able to play forward and near the line, where he’s less likely to make mistakes with his angles of pursuit.”