The 2024 NFL Draft was recently televised from Detroit, Michigan, under the eyes of a record-breaking crowd. This year’s class was particularly strong at the quarterback position, leading to loads of activity in the first round. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key players and picks that defined the night.
As expected, quarterbacks dominated the early selections. The Chicago Bears, who acquired the top pick in a trade with Carolina, wasted no time in selecting USC’s Caleb Williams. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is lauded for his impressive athleticism and pinpoint accuracy. Right behind him, the Washington Commanders opted for LSU’s Jayden Daniels, another Heisman finalist known for his dual-threat ability. The New England Patriots, under center Jerod Mayo, surprised some by taking a gamble on North Carolina’s passer Drake Maye who is known as well for his athleticism but also his strong arm and raw ability to create plays. This move suggests the Patriots are looking towards the future and potentially a post-Brady era. Ramapo history teacher Mr Mayor stated, “I think the Bears franchise is going to turn around with Caleb Williams. He’s just one of those guys who’s a generational talent even though I don’t love his attitude.”
While quarterbacks stole the spotlight, the wide receiver position also boasted some top talent. The Arizona Cardinals, desperate for an offensive weapon, used the fourth overall pick to grab Ohio State standout Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison, son of NFL legend Marvin Harrison Sr., possesses an elite blend of size, speed, and route-running ability. Harrison might just be the best wide receiver recruit we’ve ever seen out of college, or at least in recent years. Following closely behind, the New York Giants selected LSU’s Malik Nabers at the 6th pick, a threat on all levels of the field with a blazing 4.35 second 40-yard dash time (Hall of Football).
The defensive side of the ball was not as incredible as the offense this year but still had some key players taken early. The first defensive player did not get selected until pick 15 by the Colts who selected Laiatu Latu, a powerful edge out of UCLA. The Seattle Seahawks at pick 16, looking to bolster their defensive line and constant problem against the run game, used their pick on Byron Murphy II out of Texas. The Eagles addressed a huge secondary issue by picking Quinyon Mitchell out of Toledo at pick 22 as the first cornerback of the night. They soon matched this pick by grabbing Cooper Dejean at pick 40 who is another versatile cornerback out of Iowa and could plug in at the safety position. Many people considered this to be one of the major steals in the draft as many had him going in the top 20. Ramapo football player James Magerko stated, “I think Cooper Dejean at pick 40 is a huge steal for the Eagles, he is super athletic and could play at a bunch of different spots defensively because he has a great read on the game.”
This draft was very exciting as some looked to elevate their already successful teams to the next level while others used this impressive draft class to rebuild.
