The 2024 NFL draft is finally upon us, occurring in downtown Detroit, home – for the first time ever – of the reigning NFC North champion Lions. It's also the first time Motown has hosted the league's marquee offseason event in the common draft era (since 1967).
The league's 89th annual "Player Selection Meeting" did not feature much mystery with its No. 1 pick, but things did get awfully interesting shortly after that thanks a to a crop loaded with big-name offensive stars at the top of Round 1.
USA TODAY Sports analyzed each pick, one through 32, as it was made Thursday night.
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has essentially appeared destined to be the top pick of this draft for about three years, following an impressive debut as a freshman with the University of Oklahoma. But the mystery evaporated entirely when the Bears traded former QB1 Justin Fields to Pittsburgh in March. Now Williams becomes the latest presumed savior for one of the league’s original franchises – one that’s never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards or 30 TDs in its century-long-plus existence.
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However Williams, 22, Chicago’s first No. 1 pick of the common draft era, should certainly be the guy to hit those thresholds and more. His game has been (unfairly) compared to three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes’, though Williams – he measures 6-1, 214 pounds – self-identifies with four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers. Either way, he has elite arm talent and the ability to make off-platform throws with the highest degree of difficulty, very often a necessity with the depleted Trojans last season. He also possesses ample mobility, though will often scramble in a bid to extend his time to throw rather than just take off down the field. In two years at Southern California, he passed for 8,170 yards, 72 TDs and 10 INTs despite often having to improvise.
Williams will likely have to learn to tamp down his creativity as a rookie in 2024, yet – atypical of most No. 1 picks – he’s stepping into what’s virtually a turnkey operation, especially compared to what Fields was working with for three seasons. Chicago’s offense is stocked with weapons (WRs DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, RB D'Andre Swift, TE Cole Kmet, solid offensive line), while the defense should be a top-10 unit. Every reason to believe Williams should be the capstone to the Bears’ rebuild, the groundwork laid last year when they traded the No. 1 pick to Carolina – the Panthers eventually went with former Alabama QB Bryce Young – for what turned out to be this year’s top selection. And Chicago should legitimately contend for a playoff spot in 2024 after winning five of its final eight games last season to finish 7-10.
Make that two teams in a row opting for former Heisman winners tasked with settling long-festering quarterback problems. Daniels, 23, who won college football’s most prestigious award last season, projects as this draft’s top dual threat QB – comfortable with picking apart defenses from the pocket or breaking their backs with an 80-yard run. He’s been widely compared to Lamar Jackson, though is a far more advanced passer than the two-time league MVP was at this stage if not quite as electric an open-field runner. The former Arizona State star, who transferred after the 2021 season, took a huge leap for the Tigers in 2023, similar to the one Heisman predecessor Joe Burrow had in 2019, passing for 3,812 yards, 40 TDs and four INTs while rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 scores.
The Commanders will have to do a better job protecting Daniels – and he’ll have to be more judicious about breaking the pocket in the NFL – given the cautionary tale of former Washington QB Robert Griffin III, who was never the same player after tearing up his knee and absorbing heavy contact throughout his 2012 rookie season. (Departed Sam Howell, last year’s QB1 in D.C., was sacked a league-most 65 times.) At 6-4, 210 pounds, Daniels has a slender frame, like RG3, and a tendency to put it in harm’s way while trying to pick up a few extra yards at the end of already profitable plays. It should help him to be teamed with experienced OC Kliff Kingsbury – he’s worked with the likes of Mahomes, Williams and Kyler Murray over the years – and playmakers like WRs Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson and RB Austin Ekeler. Daniels could be the player who exemplifies the reset of a franchise under new ownership and hoping to soon notch its first postseason win in nearly two decades.
With their earliest draft pick of owner Robert Kraft’s three-decade tenure, the Pats attempt for the second time in three years to draft the long-term successor for legendary Tom Brady. (Mac Jones, their Round 1 choice in 2021, was traded to Jacksonville earlier this year.) Only 21, Maye comes with all the physical tools – ideal size (6-4, 223), howitzer arm and bruising open-field running ability, a skill set that evokes comparisons to Justin Herbert and Josh Allen, the latter proving it’s a combo that can work well in the adverse weather conditions of the AFC East. The ACC player of the year in 2022, Maye wasn’t as good last season, though his supporting cast had also deteriorated. Still, he passed for nearly 8,000 yards, 62 TDs and 16 INTs over the past two years for the Tar Heels, running for nearly 1,200 yards and 16 more scores.
Decision-making and some occasionally wildly off-target throws have been issues that need improvement. The Pats also have a lot of work to do around Maye, the left side of the offensive line at issue and no elite players at any of the offensive skill positions. However new director of scouting Eliot Wolf clearly prioritized getting a potential franchise quarterback into the program while knowing veteran QB Jacoby Brissett can start early on if the Patriots opt to hold Maye back once the regular season starts. New England hasn’t won a playoff game since TB12 departed following the 2019 season, but Kraft and Co. are banking Maye can change that … and soon.
This is the fourth time in the draft's common era that quarterbacks have been the first three picks (1971, 1999, 2021).
The first non-quarterback off the board – and arguably the best player in the draft among an amazing group of receivers – “Maserati Marv” immediately becomes the No. 1 wideout on a Cards squad that lost Hollywood Brown during free agency. Yet Harrison, 21, the son of his Hall of Fame namesake, should be a significant step up from Brown as a rookie – especially if he can quickly fulfill his widely cited comparison to Arizona legend Larry Fitzgerald. Big (6-3, 209), fast, precise and competitive, the two-time All-American and 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner as college football’s best wideout, Harrison will beat you with his route running, at the point of the catch or downfield depending on the situation. He’s exceeded 1,200 receiving yards and found the end zone 14 times each of the past two seasons and might be the best to roll off what seems like a Buckeyes wide receiver assembly line. No one’s likely to be happier than Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, who hasn’t had a 1,000-yard target since DeAndre Hopkins in 2020.
Don’t be surprised if Harrison emerges as the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Here’s an assessment from the 2023 Offensive ROY, Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Harrison’s former teammate at Ohio State: “I think I read something like he’s NFL ready, but other guys have more potential. That makes no sense. Like, what? If you’re ‘NFL ready,’ how is that not potential?” Stroud said earlier this month. “For me, I think I would love to play with him again. I probably won’t get that opportunity for a while, but I’m super proud of him. Whoever’s up there (drafting) man, be smart. Don’t be dumb. Don’t think too hard.”
▶ Marvin Harrison Jr. Q&A
A massive man (6-9, 321), the unanimous 2023 All-American – and son of legendary Chiefs lineman John Alt – is widely regarded as the best blocker in this draft and a plug-and-play starter. However with Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater seemingly entrenched on the left side for the Bolts, Alt will likely move to right tackle. A team captain, Alt was a highly respected leader in South Bend and certainly a productive one – allowing just one sack total and just a handful of pressures over the past two seasons. QB Justin Herbert, who didn't make it through the 2023 season, can certainly use the added level of protection. But expect this team to run a lot more in 2024 courtesy of its fortified line and new HC Jim Harbaugh's smashmouth philosophy.
Daniels’ primary target the past two seasons in Baton Rouge, Nabers, who led the SEC in receptions each of the past two seasons, really blossomed during a 2023 All-American campaign (89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 TDs). As highly regarded as Harrison is, some NFL observers believe Nabers has even more upside. At 6 feet, 200 pounds, he blazed a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at LSU's pro day, though Nabers, 20, claimed it was sub-4.3 on some stopwatches. He should be a highly welcomed addition to embattled QB Daniel Jones, whose contract sets this season up as a make-or-break campaign for him personally. The Giants, who haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. (also an LSU product) in 2018, badly needed an alpha playmaker after losing RB Saquon Barkley to Philadelphia in free agency.
Maybe not the tackle the Titans had targeted, but Latham should settle in to an O-line that needs the help. Massive at 6-6, 342-pounds, he was a fixture at right tackle for the Crimson Tide and is a mauler who can also play guard. And given the Titans addressed the offensive skill positions in free agency (WR Calvin Ridley, RB Tony Pollard), may as well continue leveling up the line after they made LG Peter Skoronski their first-round pick in 2023. Now Tennessee continues to invest in the protection around second-year QB Will Levis. And don’t forget, new HC Brian Callahan hired his father, legendary O-line coach Bill Callahan, to remediate a front five that surrendered 64 sacks in 2023, tied for most in the AFC.
This draft's first real shocker given the Falcons just signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in free agency. However if not for the four season-ending injuries (one to each of his shoulders and two torn ACLs) he suffered while at Indiana University, Penix would likely have been picked even earlier – especially after two stellar seasons following his transfer to the Huskies. While at UW, Penix threw for more than 9,500 yards with 67 TDs and 19 INTs. His left arm may be the most electric in this draft, and it carried Washington to within a win of the 2023 national title. Before a title game loss to Michigan, Penix showed pro scouts everything they needed to see in a semifinal victory over Texas, lasering the ball all over and through a stout Longhorns defense to the tune of 430 yards and two TDs, from the pocket and outside of it.
Penix (6-2, 216), a first-team All-American last season, will be 24 next month, so you wonder how long he'll sit behind Cousins. But the adversity he faced and experience he gained over six college seasons should help him adjust to a backup role ... however long that is.
A first-rounder on the field and off of it, Chicago gets a blue-chip rookie receiver to pair with Caleb Williams. And the Bears, who have been busily building a proper supporting cast for Williams, were dangerously thin at wideout behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, who will be 32 by Week 1 and is only under contract for this season. Spectacular as Harrison and Nabers are, plenty of proponents for Odunze, an All-American last year and All-Pac-12 member the past two. The 6-3, 212-pounder has a sterling off-field reputation plus the ball skills and production (92 catches, for 1,640 yards, 13 TDs in 2023) to be a co-WR1 with Moore in 2025 and beyond.
The Vikes ensure they get their guy to replace Kirk Cousins by doing a one-pick flip with the NYJ. One of the more divisive prospects of this draft, considerable debate about whether McCarthy, who’s just 21, was a driving force for the Wolverines’ 27-1 record while he was their starter or if he was largely along for the ride on a team that won the national championship last season. Physically, McCarthy generally has the goods at 6-3 and 219 pounds with more than sufficient arm talent and athleticism to make plays on the move. Though he didn’t throw all that much (more than 5,700 yards, 44 TDs, 9 INTs over past two seasons), he was a money player on third downs and in big games – namely against Ohio State and in the College Football Playoffs. His intangibles and leadership qualities are renowned, especially by his former teammates.
McCarthy's experience in a pro-style offense should also ease his transition to the NFL. What should make it even smoother is joining an offense with All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson, a great line and a highly regarded coach in Kevin O'Connell, a former NFL quarterback. Ultimately, it will be determined if McCarthy can carry on offense or must be carried. In the interim, if he needs more time to prove his readiness to play, veteran QB Sam Darnold is under contract for the 2024 season.
GM Joe Douglas picks up a fourth- and fifth-rounder to move back one spot in the Minnesota deal. Then, rather than add more weaponry for QB Aaron Rodgers, 40, Douglas, who's always valued O-linemen, takes the Nittany Lions’ 2023 All-American. An especially good pass blocker, Fashanu (6-6, 312) should be this team's left tackle of the future ... and maybe even the present if free agent addition Tyron Smith, 33, who hasn't played a full season since 2015, breaks down again. Fashanu was a high school teammate of Caleb Williams.
If you need a quarterback to start immediately – as the Broncos basically do – this could be your guy, Nix making an FBS record 61 starts behind center between his time at Auburn and Oregon. However he truly flourished with the Ducks, completing an NCAA record 77.4% of his passes last season – though it must be noted that quite a few occurred at or near the line of scrimmage as dictated by the Ducks’ offense.
Nix (6-2, 214) doesn’t have an elite arm, but he does take care of the ball and makes quick decisions in addition to his accuracy, valued traits by Denver HC Sean Payton. The Pac-12 offensive player of the year in 2023, Nix threw for 4,508 yards and 45 TDs against just four picks. And he can also make plays with his legs, scoring 20 TDs on the ground over the past two seasons. Already 24, Nix carries some scars from his time with Auburn, but being no stranger to adversity should help him take the reins with fairly low expectations in 2024.
The selection of Nix means this draft ties 1983 for most QBs taken in the first round. He is also the first quarterback Payton has ever taken in Round 1.
The Silver and Black apparently are forced to pivot with all the top quarterbacks gone. Despite being limited by an ankle injury for a good chunk of the 2023 season, Bowers, the only two-time Mackey Award winner ever, had 26 TD catches during his three-year college career and averaged nearly 60 grabs for 850 yards as the rare player at his position who could dominate a game offensively – sometimes as a ball carrier. He should be quite a run-after-catch threat between the hashes with WRs Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers operating outside. And with fellow TE Michael Mayer, a second-round pick in 2023, likely to handle the bulk of the blocking, Bowers should be free to work downfield ... or even run a few jet sweeps, as he did for the Dawgs on occasion.
A right tackle for the Beavers, Fuaga is excellent in pass protection and especially nasty as a run blocker. He becomes the first Round 1 O-lineman in Oregon State’s history and can probably play anywhere up front aside from center. And there's certainly a need in the Big Easy given the performance, or lack thereof, thus far by former first-round LT Trevor Penning plus the knee issues and cost associated with RT Ryan Ramczyk. But, given the abuse he took in 2023, QB Derek Carr has to be grinning.
And the defense is finally on the board after a record 14 consecutive players were picked on the other side of the ball. The Pac-12’s defensive player of the year in 2023 – when he also earned the Lombardi Award and Ted Hendricks Award for being the country’s best collegiate defensive end while posting an FBS-best 1.8 tackles for loss per game – Latu racked up 35 TFLs, 23½ sacks, five forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions in two seasons with the Bruins. A neck injury suffered while he attended the University of Washington temporarily relegated him to medical retirement, but Latu said at the scouting combine that his medical reports suggest he's no longer at high risk. (He also said he was already considering a career in firefighting just in case.)
He's almost certainly this year’s most advanced, productive and versatile pass rusher and an immediate counterpunch to a division that features QBs Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud. Indy suddenly has a pretty deep pass rush with Latu, DE Kwity Paye and veteran DT DeForest Buckner.
New HC Mike Macdonald made his bones as a defensive coach and joins a franchise that watched the Rams' Aaron Donald wreck shop for a decade. (Macdonald also watched DT Justin Madubuike wreck shop in Baltimore last year.) The NFL is increasingly reliant on players who can disrupt quarterbacks up the middle – something Murphy can do effectively and likely much more so if teamed alongside veteran DT Leonard Williams.
The Vikes come up in another draft night deal to juice their pass rush. Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC last season while racking up 10 sacks, Turner also has a case as this draft’s premier defensive prospect – one who can bend around blockers. He and free-agent addition Jonathan Greenard are a nice replacement tandem after the team's top pass rushers in 2023, Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum, signed elsewhere last month.
Mims’ 87-inch wingspan and 6-8, 340-pound frame help him block out the sun. He only started eight games for the Bulldogs and may not be in the lineup immediately for Cincy. But this team usually drafts ahead of its needs, and offensive line has been a perennial one since QB Joe Burrow came to town in 2020. And it might not take Mims long to displace veteran Trent Brown this year.
Replacing retired legend Aaron Donald isn’t going to be a one-for-one proposition. But Verse is a nice start given his high motor and effectiveness against both the run and pass. A first-team All-American during both of his seasons with the Seminoles, he registered nine sacks in each − and his bull rush is something to behold. Verse is LA's first Round 1 selection since QB Jared Goff was the No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft.
An All-Pac-12 performer with sweet feet, Fautanu has All-Pro ability and the versatility to thrive at tackle or guard on either side of the line – and the Steelers can use the help pretty much anywhere. But if this team, despite its high-profile quarterback acquisitions this offseason, is going to get back to its roots as a run-heavy force under new OC Arthur Smith, bolstering its front five makes all the sense in the world.
His eye-popping athleticism – the 6-3, 254-pounder ran a sub-4.5 40 at the combine – doesn't necessarily align with his production, which included 9½ sacks and 17½ TFLs in two seasons with the Nittany Lions. But he should be a real asset to a defense that was stripped of OLBs Bradley Chubb (knee) and Jaelan Phillips (Achilles) late last season. And TBD how ready those two will be for Week 1 this year.
He’s got size (6-0, 195), blazing speed (4.33 40 time) and ball skills, two of his six interceptions over the past two seasons turned into pick-sixes. And he’ll tackle, unlike some Eagles DBs in 2023. But with starting CBs Darius Slay and James Bradberry both north of 30, this is a near-optimal intersection of need and value. Mitchell becomes Philly's first Round 1 corner since 2002 (Lito Sheppard).
The 6-3, 209-pounder put down a 4.33 40 at the combine in the wake of a season when he had 1,177 yards on 68 catches – a quarter of those receptions resulting in TDs. He'll have to prove he was more than a byproduct of playing with QB Jayden Daniels and opposite WR Malik Nabers at LSU. Yet Thomas is headed to a team where he doesn't have to immediately assume a WR1 role or replace all of departed Calvin Ridley's production given the presence of Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, newly signed Gabe Davis and TE Evan Engram.
The home team jumps up five spots for the first-team All-American who features swagger, production and toughness. And the secondary looks a whole lot better with Arnold and Carlton Davis III joining 2023 second-rounder Brian Branch. But Arnold is the complete package, with sensational ball skills (5 INTs in 2023), smarts and a willingness to stick a ball carrier – all traits that will sing in Motown. And, like departed DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson, he can play just about anywhere in the defensive backfield.
An especially good pass blocker who was a fixture at left tackle for the Wildcats, it stands to reason he'll play the same spot for the Pack given their recent divorce from veteran David Bakhtiari. Two years removed from a torn ACL, Morgan should be ready to safeguard QB Jordan Love right away.
A left tackle for the Blue Devils, the two-time All-ACC selection is likely headed inside in the NFL due to his relatively short arms. Regardless, his ability to play anywhere on the line will be quite a boon to the Bucs, who appear especially susceptible between the tackles at the moment.
The 6-5, 285-pound All-SEC selection has the size and athleticism to play inside or out while thriving against the run or pass – all traits a defense that’s weak up front and allowed the second-most points in the league in 2023 could badly use. His leadership will also be a boon to a young defense.
Naturally, the champs acquire the fastest player in combine history after a deal with Buffalo – which seemed to be the receiver-needy team. Worthy's 4.21 speed should fill a need for K.C. following the loss of deep threats Mecole Hardman and Marquez Valdes-Scantling while complementing free-agent arrival Hollywood Brown. But don’t short Worthy’s chops as a receiver after he averaged 66 catches and better than 900 yards during three seasons with the Longhorns. He'll probably need to add to a 5-11, 165-pound build to survive in the pros. But the off-field uncertainty around second-year WR Rashee Rice likely also motivated this selection.
A former tight end, the 6-8, 322-pounder is an exceptional athlete for his size. He's relatively inexperienced from a playing time perspective but should have an opportunity to immediately fill the left tackle post vacated by Tyron Smith. If not, 2022 first-rounder Tyler Smith can fill in there until Guyton is ready.
Tall (6-1) and highly explosive (4.28 40 time), his athleticism is readily apparent. The first-team All-ACC selection was quite light (173 pounds) at the combine but has reclaimed some of that body mass after running like a star sprinter. He should have an opportunity to challenge for a starting job in Baltimore, though the Ravens will demand a player who sometimes shies from contact proves his toughness.
Coming off a 65-catch, 965-yard season, he has amazing hands and 4.4 speed. Pearsall also has a reputation as a hard worker and should be yet another game-breaking weapon in NFC champs' multi-faceted offensive attack … though his arrival casts further doubt around the status of WR Brandon Aiyuk, who's entering his walk year and angling for a new contract.
Carolina resurfaces in Round 1, coming up one spot to essentially take a local guy. Catching balls from QB Spencer Rattler, Legette had a breakout 2023 campaign with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven TDs. His ability as a returner could also be a huge asset amid the NFL's modified kickoff rules. Definitely a welcome pickup for QB Bryce Young coming off his highly disappointing rookie year.
Historically, about half of the players selected in the first round pan out as success NFL pros – said another way, about a 50% chance a Round 1 prospect won't live up to the high hopes inherently tied to him. Who do this year's higher-risk candidates seem to be?
Read Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz's 11 boom-or-bust prospects
The New York Jets' trade of QB Zach Wilson this week underscored anew how badly the 2021 NFL draft went for so many quarterback-desperate teams. Yet draft history is littered with busts, particularly in Round 1, like Wilson, Trey Lance and Mac Jones, so beware before you get overly optimistic about the guy your team chooses tonight. Here's a thorough look back at the 50 most notable draft washouts from the past 50 years ... and we (justifiably*) found a way to shoehorn more than 50 onto the list.
Read Nate Davis’s complete rankings here
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz also revealed his final list of the best players on this year's board this morning, a group that now runs more than 100 deep – meaning some of these players will definitely be available when the fourth round begins Saturday morning. As the mock drafts indicate this draft rolls deep with quarterbacks and receivers at the top, though a quality group of offensive linemen isn't far behind.
1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
3. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
4. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
5. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
6. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
7. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
8. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
9. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
10. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Read the full list of top players with analysis
***Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.
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