History was made during Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. From a wild run on quarterbacks to a stunning wait for top defensive prospects, Thursday night’s draft opener generated plenty of headlines — and one stunning selection.
QBs Steal the Show Early in 2024 NFL Draft
Many believed four quarterbacks would be taken in the top 10. Few could’ve guessed that six of the first 12 picks would be used on signal-callers. But that’s exactly what happened in Detroit.
Thursday night saw the most quarterbacks ever selected within the first 11 picks of a draft. Furthermore, it matched the 1983 NFL Draft for the most QBs taken overall in the first round. John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly all were selected in Round 1 in 1983.
6 QBs taken in the first 12 picks. 👀
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Here’s a recap of all six QB selections:
No. 1: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
This wasn’t a surprise. Williams was the consensus top quarterback available, and the Bears made the right choice. Sure, there are aspects of Williams’ game that need to be cleaned up, but he’s a generational talent and is joining an offense loaded with offensive weapons.
No. 2: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
This wasn’t a surprise either. Multiple reports over the last few weeks indicated the Commanders would select Daniels, and the rumors proved true. Daniels, who’s dynamic as a runner, might be more pro-ready than any quarterback in this class. He still needs to bulk up, though.
No. 3: Drake Maye, New England Patriots
In the end, the Patriots passed on trade offers and picked a player they hope will be their next franchise quarterback. Maye is raw, and he might need to sit for a season, but he has the arm talent and athleticism to develop into a star.
No. 8: Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons
This was a complete stunner. Despite giving a ton of money to Kirk Cousins, the Falcons reached for a quarterback viewed by some as a Round 2 talent. Worse yet, Atlanta reportedly didn’t inform Cousins of its plans to draft Penix until minutes before the pick was made. This could get interesting.
MORE: NFL Draft Grades 2024 — Analysis and Grades for All 7 Rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft
Still, you can see why the Falcons would make this pick. Cousins is 35 years old and coming off a torn Achilles. He also isn’t that good. The Falcons shouldn’t have made this pick, but you could argue it’s never too early to plan for the future at quarterback.
No. 10: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings didn’t have to move into the top five to select McCarthy — but they still had to trade up. Minnesota, in a trade with the New York Jets, moved from No. 11 to No. 10 to draft McCarthy, who’s inexperienced but has plenty of talent and is a born leader.
Here are the trade details:
Vikings get: 2024 R1 (No. 10), R6 (No. 203)
Jets get: 2024 R1 (No. 11), R4 (No. 129), R5 (No. 157)
That’s a solid deal, one that potentially left the Vikings with their next franchise QB.
No. 12: Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
There’s no way you had this on your bingo card.
Some believed Nix could hear his name called in Round 1. But nobody thought he was a top-15 pick.
Well, except Sean Payton, who apparently thinks about Patrick Mahomes when he watches Nix. Check out these tweets from ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Sean Payton wanted and intended to draft Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, when he held the 11thoverall pick. He was ready to turn in the card. But before he could, the Chiefs traded up to the Bills’ spot at No. 10 and took Mahomes one spot before Payton got him, leaving the… https://t.co/GdsRSCqryx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2024
Denver held a private workout with Bo Nix the day after his pro day. The night before the workout, the Broncos sent Nix three packets of offensive play installation. And the next morning, as they worked in the classroom with Nix, he “crushed it”, per a Broncos source.
The…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2024
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em.
What About Defense?
In 2021, a record was set when the first seven picks of the NFL Draft were used on offensive players. On Thursday night, the record was doubled.
Incredibly, the first 14 picks were used on offensive players. The run ended at No. 15 when the Indianapolis Colts selected UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu, whom some believed would slip into Round 2 due to a neck issue.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Draft Complete Results, Recap, Order, and All 257 Picks
Five of the next seven picks were used on defensive players. The headliner: Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner, whom the Vikings selected after trading with the Jacksonville Jaguars to move from No. 23 to No. 17.
Looking for everything you need surrounding the 2024 NFL Draft? Make sure to check out the latest draft results, overall team grades, and updated best remaining players available at every position!