2024 NFL Draft Recap
On Thursday, April 25th, the first round of the NFL draft took place on a night that many teams drafted offensive players. The Chicago Bears had the first pick of the night and to no one’s surprise picked 2022 Heisman winner and superstar quarterback Caleb Williams from USC. Williams started his career with Oklahoma but things started to change when Williams transferred to the Trojans where he had an incredible season in 2022 passing for 4,537 yards and rushing for 382 yards. Williams had 42 passing and 10 rushing touchdowns. His stats went down in 2023 but were still enough to keep him in the conversation for the first-round pick. Many people refer to Williams as a generational talent. The Bears also drafted wide receiver, Rome Odunze from Washington with the ninth pick of the first round. Odunze had an impressive 2023 season where he scored 13 receiving and 1 rushing touchdown. Chicago is hopeful that with these two key additions to the Bears’ offense, the team will be able to see significant progress.
The Washington Commanders were next on the clock and chose quarterback Jayden Daniels from LSU. Daniels is another transfer quarterback starting his career at Arizona State University but his career didn’t take off until he joined the Tigers. Daniels is the only player in FBS history to pass for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards. Daniels will be an explosive addition to the Commanders as he has the speed and mobility often compared to Raven’s Lamar Jackson. He also possesses strength and accuracy in his throwing ability.
With Mac Jones on his way out, the New England Patriots needed a quarterback. With the top 2 quarterbacks gone, the Patriots still had a wide variety of players to choose from but ultimately went with UNC star Drake Maye. Maye was a standout player during his time at UNC throwing 63 touchdowns in his three seasons at UNC and rushing for 1,209 yards. Maye is great under pressure, has a strong arm, and has smooth footwork. The Patriots also added wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk from Washington with the fifth pick of the second round. Polk had 10 touchdowns in his 2023 season. With his circus catches and his speed, Polk will be an excellent addition to the Pats offense.
There was great debate as to where Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr would end up. Many NFL fans believed that he would join Justin Fields at the Bears but after the Bears traded Fields to the Steelers, fans knew that Harrison would not be heading to Chicago. The Arizona Cardinals ended up drafting the 2023 Heisman finalist and is expected to make a quick addition to the team. The former Buckeye scored 15 touchdowns during his 2023 season with Ohio State. Harrison has been credited for his ability to run a wide variety of routes, his speed, and his leadership.
The Los Angeles Chargers had the fifth pick of the night and drafted Offensive Tackle Joe Alt from Notre Dame. Alt is one of the best offensive linemen in draft making this an easy pick for the Chargers., Alt won the 2023 Notre Dame Offensive Lineman of the Year and was a Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy finalist. During his time at Notre Dame, Alt allowed just 4 sacks.
The New York Giants were up next and with the sixth pick of the night, the Giants chose an offensive weapon in wide receiver Malik Nabers from LSU. Nabers had 21 touchdowns over three seasons with the Tigers and continues to be an underrated player. Nabers can track the ball, get in a wide-open field, and has remarkable speed. His flash and playmaking abilities will be a great addition to the Giants.
Offensive players getting drafted didn’t stop when the Tennessee Titans were on the clock as they drafted offensive tackle, JC Latham from Alabama. The 342-pound machine was a key player for the Tide as he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and was very effective at using his size and power to the team’s advantage.
Up until now, the draft has been drama-free and most mock drafts were correct in their assumptions. However, when the Atlanta Falcons selected Washington quarterback Micheal Penix Jr, it left many fans confused as many mock drafts had the Falcons selecting Edge Dallas Turner from Alabama. However, while Penix may not start his first season, he will soon be the face of the franchise as current quarterback Kirk Cousins may soon face retirement. The former Husky and 2023 Heisman finalist has an amazing career at Washington after transferring from Indiana. In just two years at Washington, Penix threw for 61 touchdowns. With his arm strength, ability to read downfield, and accuracy, he will be ready when his time comes.
With the tenth pick of the NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Quarterback JJ. McCarthy from Michigan. McCarthy guided his team to an undefeated season which ended in a National Championship. McCarthy had 56 touchdowns during his college career. With his ability to perform under pressure, run when needed, and read downfield plays, the Michigan Quarterback will bring excitement to Minnesota.
