NFL Draft 2024 final big board, ranking top-100 prospects available

It’s finally time for the final big board to be posted. Although the 2024 NFL Draft class is lacking in some spots such as LB, there are many exciting prospects at important positions in NFL evaluation.

This year feels like the year people started to understand the big difference in evaluating college games and NFL games. For example, analyzing players who played a lot in tight fronts to help protect the spread at the college level to see how they play on the edge in the NFL is a big problem for front offices. There is a possibility that On offense, there are a lot of linemen who can move inside and guard, with players like Jordan Morgan and Graham Burton being the two mainstays. It’s going to be very interesting to see how teams stack them up at tackle vs. guard.

Well, without further ado, here are the top 100 players in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Marvin Harrison Jr. races around the wires as the top player in his class.

Right after the 2023 NFL Draft, they released big boards, led by Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Fast forward to the day before the first round…and Harrison Jr. is still on top. Actually, you don’t need to think too much about this. Harrison is a typical he-X receiver with ball skills in the air, deft route running, and speed (if he looks fast, outrunning his DBs in the Big Ten and his SEC, I’m guessing he’s pretty fast. ) to make an instant impact. player. Top players remain top players, and Harrison Jr. is a top player.

Drake Maye is QB 1(A)

In my opinion, QBs Drake Maye and Caleb Williams are very close. So close that I really view them as QB1A and QB1B instead of him being QB1 and QB2. But there’s a reason why May is 1A. I think a lot of people thought too much of Maye, who had a disappointing 2023 and had to deal with below-average coaching and skill position talent around him. But his combination of athleticism, subtle pocket movement, and downfield aggression make him a quality NFL QB. Yes, his footwork needs to be addressed a bit, but that shouldn’t take teams away from him as a top player in this class.

Now, even if Maye is QB1A, that doesn’t mean Williams is bad at all. In fact, if Williams gets the No. 1 pick Thursday night, I’d give it an A+. Williams’ natural game feel and impressive play (albeit inconsistent) from the pocket make him a high-level QB candidate. Both players prove to be at least above-average NFL starters.

Buyers beware of QBs outside of the top four

On the other hand, May, Williams, LSU QB Jayden Daniels and Michigan State QB JJ McCarthy make up my top four, but I’d be a little wary of targeting QBs outside of that range. The next QB for the 40-year-old McCarthy is 55-year-old Washington signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. I love his aggressiveness downfield and ability to play from a clean pocket. Still, I question his ability under pressure. The semifinal game against Texas was Penix’s best game under pressure, but the championship game against Michigan may have been his worst. He will have to answer questions about his ability to be creative under pressure and his extensive injury history.

The next QB is South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, who could be a very good QB once he gets out of his way. He has come a long way since his time at Oklahoma and showed toughness in his ability to pass under pressure during his time with the Gamecocks. But he’s brought this pressure on himself, even though he’s a diminutive QB and not a tremendous athlete, and the accuracy of his offense is a little bit in the bones. He’s a QB that I want to develop by throwing darts.

Next comes Bo Nix from Oregon State. I like his short-area accuracy and enough functional mobility to play outside the pocket, but I also like how he reacts under pressure and how Oregon State’s offense really tests teams vertically. I worry about how little I have to do. If you want someone who can take the wheel of the car on autopilot, he’s a great QB, but I don’t know if you want him to drive the car.

My 8th QB is Michael Pratt from Tulane, who I think can be a starter in the NFL. He’s tough under pressure, accurate down to the intermediate level of the field, and can move enough to make things work. But is being a “good enough” NFL athlete enough to be a long-term starter?

Either way, buyers should be wary of QBs outside of the top four.

All of the top defensive prospects are fun, but there are also big question marks.

The top defensive prospect in this class is Illinois DT Johnny Newton. He has destructive power from multiple alignments, violent hands, and could immediately produce as a pass rusher in the NFL. However, Jones has missed most of the athletic testing for this draft process due to a broken foot, and there are injury concerns. Injury concerns are a common theme among top defensive players, some more severe than others.

UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu is the best pass rusher in the class, but he suffered numerous neck injuries and was forced to retire for medical reasons during his time at the University of Washington. If he comes clean with his health report, it would do wonders for him and his stock. The stock will go as high as 8, but will go all the way down by the end of the first round. The University of Alabama’s CB Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of the best players in the class in terms of press alignment, but he missed all of this draft process due to a Jones fracture in his foot. How teams value these prospects despite not being fully healthy will be a major theme this cycle.