The 2024 NFL draft was held on April 26, 2024, and it was a night filled with excitement and surprises. The Chicago Bears started off the draft by selecting Caleb Williams, the quarterback from USC, with the first overall pick. The Washington Commanders followed by choosing Jayden Daniels, the quarterback from LSU, with the second pick ¹.

Some of the best players to come out of the draft include ²:

1. Caleb Williams, quarterback from USC: Williams is an incredibly talented player with natural gifts even other previous QB1s do not have. His issues are more from a lack of consistency than ability in any area. This is a quarterback with franchise-changing talent that is worthy of a No. 1 overall selection.

2. Marvin Harrison Jr., wide receiver from Ohio State: Harrison comes from Hall of Fame bloodlines, and you can see that in his tape without even knowing his last name. He has a truly rare blend of size, speed, strength and football IQ for such a young player. He will be a WR1-caliber player the day he is drafted, and one in the mold of a Tier 1 NFL wideout.

3. Drake Maye, quarterback from North Carolina: Maye’s arm talent alone puts him in the first-round and top-10 conversation. Though his ball placement and decision-making need improvement, he has all the talent tools you want to bet on as a franchise QB.

4. Malik Nabers, wide receiver from LSU: Nabers’ movement skills are rare, even for the NFL level. His ability to change direction yet continue to accelerate makes him an open-target specialist in the slot and on the outside. His athleticism demands opposing defenses to account for him at all times. He is a future WR1.

5. Joe Alt, tackle from Notre Dame: The NFL draft is all about finding players with size, speed and strength who have the IQ to use those traits. That’s Joe Alt, and that should spell a top-10 selection as a future long-term tackle.

6. Rome Odunze, wide receiver from Washington: In an offense filled with future NFL players at the skill positions, Odunze was the best of the bunch. If he weren’t in a class with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers, we would be talking about him as an easy WR1 and a player worthy of a top-10 pick, although the latter is still true for 2024.

7. Brock Bowers, tight end from Georgia: Outside of being on the smaller side, Bowers is a dream tight end prospect who can be an impact player in the slot, out wide and in-line. Add in his reliable blocking ability on the line and in space, and you have an ultimate chess piece offensive weapon with All-Pro potential.

8. Cooper DeJean, cornerback from Iowa: The talk of DeJean playing outside cornerback or safety or slot cornerback at the next level is not due to lack of a home position; it’s because he could truly be an impact player anywhere. His footwork, ball skills and explosive athleticism make him an impactful outside cornerback — one with All-Pro potential.

The 2024 NFL draft was a night to remember, with teams making bold moves to secure the top talent. After the Bears and Commanders made their quarterback selections, the Houston Texans surprised many by choosing Jalen Carter, the defensive tackle from Georgia, with the third overall pick

The Seattle Seahawks, who had two first-round picks, selected Will Levis, the quarterback from Kentucky, and then chose Zay Flowers, the wide receiver from Boston College. The Detroit Lions, who had been rumored to be interested in a quarterback, instead chose Peter Skoronski, the tackle from Northwestern.

One of the biggest surprises of the night was the fall of Bijan Robinson, the running back from Texas, who was expected to be a top-10 pick but ended up being selected by the Washington Commanders with the 16th overall pick.

Some other notable players who were selected in the first round include:

· Hendon Hooker, quarterback from Tennessee, who was chosen by the Las Vegas Raiders with the 7th overall pick

· Quentin Johnston, wide receiver from TCU, who was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 10th overall pick

· Myles Murphy, defensive end from Clemson, who was chosen by the Green Bay Packers with the 13th overall pick

· Joey Porter Jr., cornerback from Penn State, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 17th overall pick

In the second round, some notable players who were selected include:

· Michael Mayer, tight end from Notre Dame, who was chosen by the New England Patriots with the 35th overall pick

· Bryan Bresee, defensive tackle from Clemson, who was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 40th overall pick

· Darnell Washington, tight end from Georgia, who was chosen by the Denver Broncos with the 43rd overall pick

Overall, the 2024 NFL draft was a night of surprises and excitement, with teams making bold moves to secure the top talent. It will be interesting to see how these players develop and contribute to their respective teams in the coming seasons.

Some of the winners of the draft include:

· The Chicago Bears, who got their franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams

· The Washington Commanders, who got a steal in Bijan Robinson in the 16th overall pick

· The Seattle Seahawks, who got two first-round picks and selected a quarterback and wide receiver

· The Detroit Lions, who got a top tackle in Peter Skoronski

Some of the losers of the draft include:

· The teams that missed out on the top quarterbacks, such as the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts

· The teams that reached for players, such as the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Hendon Hooker with the 7th overall pick

· The teams that didn’t address their needs, such as the Miami Dolphins not selecting a wide receiver until the third round.

Overall, the 2024 NFL draft was a night of excitement and surprises, and it will be interesting to see how these players develop and contribute to their respective teams in the coming seasons.