Evaluate every pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams (QB, USC)
Class A: Williams has been an electric playmaker and quirky personality since the Bears traded Justin Fields on March 16. He’s always looking for big plays from the pocket.
2. Washington Commanders: Jaden Daniels (QB, LSU)
School year answer: The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has 34 touchdowns on downfield passes of 15 yards or more and zero interceptions.
He’s a good passer, but not as good a runner as a young Lamar Jackson.
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye (QB, North Carolina State)
Class A: The Patriots started at quarterback instead, as the Giants and Vikings were interested in a trade.
Maye is a polarizing prospect who is a laser down the middle, but needs to improve his lower body mechanics.
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR, Ohio State University)
Grade A+: Regarded as the best wide receiver prospect in recent years, Harrison is the son of a Hall of Famer.
He runs smooth routes and taps his toes like his father, but he’s bigger and more physical.
See every first-round pick made during the 2024 NFL Draft, along with news, trades, analysis, and more.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alto (OT, Notre Dame)
Class A-: Despite recent buzz that run-blocking hitter JC Latham might sneak in here, the Chargers have lost top receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason. He played an all-around offensive tackle.
6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers (WR, LSU)
Class A-: According to Pro Football Focus, the Giants showed confidence in Daniel Jones by adding QB JJ McCarthy to the roster and signing forward Neighbors, who ranks among the top receivers in the nation with 3.64 yards per route.
7. Tennessee Titans: JC Latham (OT, Alabama)
Grade: B-: After the Chargers acquired Alto, the Titans pivoted to (and reached for) the next best offensive lineman.
The 342-pounder played 27 straight games and bulldozed running lanes.
It’s a shame that Derrick Henry is no longer around.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr. (QB, Washington)
Grade D: Huh? After signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, did the Falcons draft a 23-year-old quarterback who could play right now instead of a defensive starter?
Penix is a pure pitcher, but he suffered four season-ending injuries in college.
9. Chicago Bears: Roma Odunze (WR, Washington)
Class A: Some teams ranked Odunze higher than Nabers.
He definitely has the cleanest character rating and lowest bust potential among the top 10 players.
He was a great catching machine, leading the nation in receiving yards with 1,640.
10. Minnesota Vikings (traded with Jets): JJ McCarthy (QB, Michigan State)
Grade B+: There’s plenty of value for a quarterback who was talked about as much as No. 2.
However, as a facilitator of a run-first offense, McCarthy didn’t make many NFL-level throws and amassed a career record of 27-1.
11. New York Jets (trade with Vikings): Olu Fashanu (OT, Penn State)
Class A-: General manager Joe Douglas defaulted to his roots as a big-game evaluator.
He opted to add protection for QB Aaron Rodgers (and injury insurance for OT Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses) in place of playmaker Brock Bowers.
12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix (QB, Oregon State)
Grade C: Panic movements? The Broncos got their 6th quarterback that night! He has an NCAA record 61 career quarterback starts and ranks in the top six all-time in passing yards and total touchdowns.
He probably has second-round value, but could be a starter.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers (TE, Georgia)
Class A-: Will the Raiders regret not trading more aggressively to acquire a quarterback? perhaps.
But there’s no arguing the great value of adding a versatile, game-changing weapon that’s a catch-yardage machine.
14. New Orleans Saints: Talese Fuaga (OT, Oregon State)
Grade B: Perhaps no team had a clearer need for an offensive tackle than the Saints, so they were happy that the fourth of their consensus top four offensive tackles was available.
Fuaga finished the block with dirt.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu (Edge, UCLA)
Grade B: He is the first defensive player to be drafted with a record 14 consecutive offensive picks. Latu (neck) transferred after being forced to retire for medical reasons in Washington, where he recorded 23.5 sacks in 25 games.
Safer high-end options were available.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy (DT, Texas)
Class A-: An interior pass rush is incredibly valuable in today’s NFL, and Murphy (33 pressures last season) provides that.
It’s no surprise that new head coach Mike McDonald, a former Ravens defensive coordinator, wanted to strengthen the front seven.
17. Minnesota Vikings (trade with Jaguars): Dallas Turner (Edge, Alabama)
Class A: Turner, a popular choice to be the first defensive player (up to No. 8), had to wait.
He had an 11-sack season and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He uses his long arms to reel in the ball carrier.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims (OT, Georgia)
Grade C+: A rare athlete at 6-foot-8, 340 pounds, Mims started just eight games in college, two of which came under playoff pressure.
He’s the epitome of boom and bust, and it would be helpful if the Bengals gave him time.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse (Edge, Fla.)
Grade B+: The Albany transfer is a former tight end who has become a tough pass rusher who can also compete against the run.
He aims at the ball like a missile and explodes with emotion.
20. Pittsburgh Stellars: Troy Fautanu (OL, Washington)
Grade B-: Is he a security guard? Tackle? Center? Despite injury concerns, he has the versatility to play five positions and is believed to have a high ceiling in all of them.
But it can’t be ignored that the Steelers need more pass-catching weapons after trading Diontae Johnson.
21. Miami Dolphins: Chops Robinson (Pennsylvania Edge)
Class A-: This is a great example of matching needs and values. Robinson is explosive on the outside and creates more havoc than his 11.5 sacks in 35 career games would suggest.
He did his best against the vaunted Michigan game.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Kunyon Mitchell (CB, Toledo)
Class A: How could the NFL allow this to happen?
The Eagles filled their biggest need by taking a cornerback with the No. 1 pick, about 10 points later than their original pick.
Mitchell is the falconer in charge of news coverage.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (trade with Vikings): Brian Thomas Jr. (WR, LSU)
Grade B: One of the big questions in the first round was, “Who is the fourth receiver?” Answer: A speedster who replaced Calvin Ridley, who left in free agency, with an FBS-best 17 touchdown catches last season.
There are also concerns about injuries.
24. Detroit Lions (traded with Cowboys) Terrion Arnold (CB, Alabama)
Class A: The local team traded five spots to acquire one of the unexpected tumblers in the first round, filling their biggest need.
In his breakout season in 2023, he defended 17 passes and had five interceptions.
25. Glenbeigh Packers: Jordan Morgan (OT, Arizona State)
Grade C: The fourth-year starter has the versatility of a guard-tackle, but there are questions about his physicality and ability to handle bull rushes.
Morgan is only the second of the final 14 first-round picks selected by the Packers to join the offense.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Burton (OL, Duke)
Grade B: Whether it was at center as a freshman or left tackle the past three years, Barton has logged more than 2,500 snaps in his career. He is at his best blocking in space.
Former starting center Ryan Jensen retired in February.
27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson (Edge, Missouri)
Grade B: Robinson, acquired in a draft-day trade with the Texans last year, offers inside, outside and pass-rushing versatility.
The last player in the on-site green room (of 13) had 14 tackles for loss and 13 career sacks last season.
28. Kansas City Chiefs (trade with Bills): Xavier Worthy (WR, Texas)
Class A-: The fastest player in NFL Combine history (4.21 seconds for 40 yards) will be transferred to the Chiefs, who are obsessed with speed.
Worthy also adds punt returns. And did the Bills, who never beat the Chiefs when it mattered, let it happen?
29. Dallas Cowboys (traded with Lions): Tyler Guyton (OT, Oklahoma State)
Grade C-: Choosing to replace All-Pro Tyron Smith (signed with the Jets) made sense. But this is a tough sell considering the Cowboys didn’t want Burton or Worthy and wanted to redo the trade.
30. Baltimore Ravens: Nate Wiggins (CB, Clemson)
Grade B: Did the Ravens ever make a mistake with a defensive draft pick?
Wiggins is a route-hopping hawk with two career No. 6 picks. However, his tackling and ethics were questionable.
Team culture may erase them.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall (WR, Florida)
Grade B+: Check out his one-handed catch against Charlotte last season. That was no exception. He has sticky hands. Does this suggest receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be traded?
32. Carolina Panthers (traded with Bills) Xavier Leggett (WR, South Carolina)
Grade B-: The record-tying seventh receiver in the first round broke out as a fifth-year senior with a 1,200-yard season. He’s a feisty run blocker.
Leggett recently revealed he was told the Panthers would select him, and he was right.
