The 2024 NFL Draft Is Here!

In the long, dark NFL offseason there are a couple beacons of hope that keep us going. The NFL Combine is one. But the NFL Draft is the big one that serves as an oasis for us football diehards. And the 2024 NFL Draft is finally here this weekend, kicking off at 8 PM ET on Thursday. We'll take a moment to track the picks here with some quick-hitting analysis on what each prospect brings to the table. Hopefully your favorite team rises to the occasion, hits on the right rookies, and sets the table for their future! 

 

NFL Draft First Round Picks

Pick No.NFL TeamPlayerAnalysis
1Chicago BearsCaleb Williams - QBIt's official - the Bears have selected Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. His ability to extend plays and fire the ball down field with a quick flick of the wrist has shades of Patrick Mahomes.
2Washington CommandersJayden DanielsIt wasn't long ago that folks thought mobile quarterbacks were a gimmick and that they wouldn't work in the NFL. Now some of the leagues top players are true rushing quarterbacks - like Jayden Daniels. And that offers him a level of upside that no other QB in this class has, especially in fantasy football. 
3New England PatriotsDrake MayeThe Patriots get their franchise quarterback. The 6'4" QB has prototypical size, can make all the throws, and can beat you with his legs. Consistency has been his issue and New England brought in a new staff to coach him up.
4Arizona CardinalsMarvin Harrison JrHe has the size, the speed, the production, and the pedigree as the son of Hall of Fame WR Marvin Harrison). Now he has the landing spot as well - he's the WR1 in your dynasty rookie draft.
5Los Angeles ChargersJoe AltJim Harbaugh spend 10 minutes at the combine talking about how important the offensive line is. And he put his money where his mouth is taking the top offensive linemen off the board in Joe Alt. Harbaugh and Greg Roman begin building this smash-mouth offense.
6New York GiantsMalik NabersThe consensus wide receiver two becomes the official wide receiver two as the Giants select Malik Nabers at overall. He has elite escapeability that you see from guys like Antonio Brown and Tyreek Hill in terms of avoiding defenders and getting extra yards with the ball in his hands.
7Tennessee TitansJC LathamTitans GM Ran Carthon spent this offseason on weapons like Calvin Ridley and Tony Pollard, setting himself up for an easy job on draft day. All he had to do was set back and take the best offensive lineman available - and that's what he did here. Some even had JC Latham as the top ranked offensive linemen on their board.
8Atlanta FalconsMichael Penix JrThe first BIG surprise of the draft comes off the board here at 8. The Falcons JUST signed quarternack Kirk Cousins this offseason and now double tap the QB position in the draft with Michael Penix Jr. Injuries were the big concern for him but he obviously cleared the tests for the Falcons. He has tremendous upside.
9Chicago BearsRome OdunzeThe Bears will have no shortage of weapons for new QB Caleb Williams. They had DJ Moore and Cole Kmet. They traded for Keenan Allen. They signed Gerald Everett. And now they have drafted a big-bodied split end in Rome Odunze. Locked and loaded.
10Minnesota Vikings via NYJJ.J. McCarthyThe Vikings had been tied to JJ McCarthy for weeks now and they get their guy. They trade up one spot to do it which is interesting because that tells you that other teams were calling the Jets about trading up to get McCarthy there. The Broncos or Raiders perhaps?
11New York Jets  via  MINOlumuyiwa FashanuThe Jets made some risky moves on the offensive line, bringing in Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, and John Simpson. Here they make the safe play and take the best offensive lineman on the board. If things go according to plan, he might not even start right away. The best case scenario is that things work out and he's your swing tackle but, given the injury history of guys like Smith, he'll probably end up contributing sooner rather than later.
12Denver BroncosBo NixSean Payton wants a quarterback that can make the right presnap reads then get the ball out of his hands quickly and accurately. The Broncos with Payton and Joe Lombardi threw the most passes to the running back of any team in the league last year. They might not have Drew Brees but, between Zach Wilson and Box Nix, they should have someone that can operate the offense the way they want after moving on from Russell Wilson.
13Las Vegas RaidersBrock BowersAnother curveball here as the Raiders select tight end Brock Bowers one year after selecting tight end Michael Mayer in the second round. Mayer skews more inline with Bowers playing more of a wide receiver role so that's what we can expect from them moving forward. Hopefully, they don't spend too much time rotating for fantasy football. 
14New Orleans SaintsTaliese FuagaYou can never have too many good offensive linemen and the Saints get a great one here. Fuaga and Fashanu have been interchangeable in many mock drafts so you have to feel good about having the second one fall to you. He's versatile enough to play tackle or guard at the next level so they'll find a spot for him to play right away. 
15Indianapolis ColtsLaiatu LatuLatu took games over as an edge rusher at times in college and adds a much needed element to the Colts defense. The only questions on him were a medical issue that caused him to transfer from Washington to UCLA but clearly he's been cleared by the Colts staff.
16Seattle SeahawksByron Murphy IIThe league has put a premium recently on interior pass rush with guys like Javon Hargrave and Christian Wilkins getting paid big money and Jalen Carter going last year at nine overall. The Seahawks take the first defensive player off the board here and it's a defensive tackle with Byron Murphy II out of Texas.
17Minnesota Vikings via  JAXDallas TurnerMany had Dallas Turner as the top defensive player on their board. And the most popular spot was eight overall. The Vikings clearly were high on the edge rusher and felt he slid enough so they traded up to take him as the second defensive player draft tonight. 
18Cincinnati Bengals

Amarius Mims

 

The Bengals have struggled with offensive line for years so they're using the 18th overall pick on a lineman. It will be interesting to see what they do with Mims as they have Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown at tackle - some scouts have said that Mims isn't really the kind of player to kick inside and play guard but he might need to do that if he's going to contribute right away. 
19Los Angeles RamsJared VerseVerse might as well be short for versatile because he's just as good in the run game as he is at pass rush. This is an every down player off the outside for the Rams - who haven't had a first round pick in awhile.
20Pittsburgh SteelersTroy FautanuThe Steelers were expected to take an offensive linemen for weeks now, the only question was who. Fautanu was the best available on our board and it seems he is on the Steelers as well. It even sounds like a Pittsburgh Steeler name.
21Miami DolphinsChop RobinsonThe Dolphins lost a lot of players in free agency, none bigger than Christian Wilkins. Chop Robinson will hopefully help ease that loss in the front seven. Defensive players have slid in this first round so the Dolphins got a deal here.
22Philadelphia EaglesQuinyon MitchellThe Eagles had their choice of any cornerback on the board here. There are some hybrid safety or slot guys but Philly went with the best pure outside option in Mitchell. 
23Jacksonville Jaguars via MINBrian Thomas Jr.The Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley in free agency this year so they’ll attempt to replace the outside wide receiver with a rookie. His stats weren’t incredible in college but he was sharing targets with Malik Nabers at LSU.
24Detroit Lions via DALTerrion Arnold So much for the Cowboys being “all in” as they trade out with the Lions in the first. Detroit takes the second corner off the board in Terron Arnold who can also operate out of the slot. 
25Green Bay PackersJordan MorganThe Packers are absolutely loaded with offensive weapons so expect a lot of work done on defense and the offensive line in this draft. They go best player available with offensive line here in the first.
26Tampa Bay BuccaneersGraham Bartonfolks love the idea of a “tackle that could play guard” but there is something to be said about taking the best actual guard in the draft. Barton is polished and ready to help from day one. 
27Arizona CardinalsDarius RobinsonThis is the first pick that wasn’t really on our radar as a first rounder but he absolutely fits a need for this Cardinals team. And Jonathan Gannon knows defense so we trust him here.
28Kansas City Chiefs via BUFXavier WorthyThe Chiefs obviously had success with the speedy Tyreek Hill in the pastl and it doesn’t get much faster than Xavier Worthy, who holds the combine record for wide receiver in forty time. He‘ll add a deep element for Patrick Mahomes.
29Dallas Cowboys via DETTyler GuytonOur own Jim Bowden called this one -and the Cowboys surely needed offensive line help with the departures of Tyron S,8th and Tyler Biadisz. They picked up some capital Too in the trade back.
30Baltimore RavensNate WigginsAt the end of the first round you often find teams taking best player available that they may have had much higher grades on. It just so happens this one is also a need for the Ravens.
31San Francisco 49ersRicky PearsallWith the future uncertain for Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers needed to play it safe at WR. At the very least he can play slot WR for the short term like many young wideouts do.
32Carolina Panthers via KCXavier LeggetteLeggette was a late breakout but, when he did breakout, he did so in a big way. The Panthers believe the player we saw last year is the true version of what we are getting at the NFL level.

NFL Draft Second Round Picks

Pick No.NFL TeamPlayer
1Buffalo BillsKeon Coleman
2Los Angeles Chargers via NELadd McConkey
3Atlanta Falcons via ARIRuke Orhorhoro
4Washington CommandersJer'Zhan Newton
5New England Patriots vs LACJa'Lynn Polk
6Tennessee TitansT'Vondre Sweat
7Los Angeles Rams vs CARBraden Fiske
8Philadelphia Eagles via WASCooper DeJean
9New Orleans Saints via GBKool-Aid McKinstry
10Houston TexansKamari Lassiter 
11Arizona Cardinals via ATLMax Melton 
12Las Vegas RaidersJackson Powers-Johnson 
13Green Bay Packers via LVEdgerrin Cooper 
14Carolina Panthers via INDJonathan Brooks
15New York GiantsTyler Nubin 
16Jacksonville JaguarsMaason Smith 
17Cincinnati BengalsKris Jenkins Jr.
18Washington Commanders via PHIMike Sainristil
19Pittsburgh SteelersZach Frazier
20Indianapolis Colts via LARAdonai Mitchell
21Washington Commanders via PHIBen Sinnott
22Cleveland BrownsMichael Hall Jr.
23Miami DolphinsPatrick Paul
24Dallas CowboysMarshawn Kneeland
25Tampa Bay BuccaneersChris Braswell
26Green Bay PackersJavon Bullard 
27Houston TexansBlake Fisher
28Buffalo BillsCole Bishop
29Detroit LionsEnnis Rakestraw
30Baltimore RavensRoger Rosengarten
31San Francisco 49ersKingsley Sumataia
32Kansas City ChiefsRenardo Green