Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft may go down as a watershed moment for what has already been long described as a “quarterback league.” That was certainly the case Thursday night in downtown Detroit, when the passers and players who directly support them flew off the board at an unprecedented rate.
The aftermath leaves plenty of intrigue and controversy ahead of the draft’s next two days … along with runaway optimism and, perhaps, relief in other quarters. The event is only 12% complete, but it feels like 88% of its major lead-in questions were answered – though others have certainly surfaced as we break down the winners and losers of the first round:
To the surprise of absolutely no one, former USC QB Caleb Williams officially arrived with the No. 1 overall pick. But the acquisition of WR Rome Odunze at No. 9 arguably topped Chicago’s rebuild with the two best players in the entire draft. But there’s almost no argument that this team should be ready to win and contend this season, Williams with a chance to quickly emerge as this franchise’s best passer of the Super Bowl era (since 1966).
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The once-vaunted conference is effectively dead, cannibalized by the expansion of other FBS football leagues. But it went out with a nice bang, eight players – with Williams at the top – tabbed Thursday. It didn’t beat out the SEC, but a nice homage to the once-great West Coast football forum.
The Minnesota Vikings’ third-year general manager, who acquired a second Round 1 spot last month, also executed Thursday night’s first two trades – but didn’t, as was widely expected, have to surrender one of his first-round slots to select a quarterback. Adofo-Mensah played it relatively safe, moving up one rung in a flip with the New York Jets to get Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy at No. 10. He was a bit more aggressive later, advancing six spots in a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire Alabama pass rusher Dallas Turner, regarded by some as the best defender in the field. The Vikes may well be a last-place outfit in what’s shaping up as a rugged NFC North in 2024. But their on-the-fly rebuild appears to be smoothly rolling down the tracks, especially as it pertains to the support system for McCarthy.
The first 14 players selected were on the sexy side of the ball, double the previous record to kick off a first round in the history of the draft. Twenty-three offensive players overall – including six quarterbacks, seven wideouts and nine linemen – heard their names called, another new Round 1 benchmark after eclipsing the previous one by four. Maybe this draft will ultimately prove an outlier. Or maybe it’s indicative that a league that continues to skew its rules to emphasize scoring while protecting the players who create the most highlights will literally invest most of its resources – draft, salary cap or otherwise – into offense.
The Indianapolis Colts made the former UCLA pass rusher the first defender chosen, taking him 15th overall. And Latu – with his array of pass rush moves, high motor and ability to drop into coverage – has more than a legit case as the best defensive player coming out this year. But the fact he seems so universally beloved by his peers and teammates while overcoming a neck injury that led to his temporary medical retirement three years ago – and nearly led him into a career in firefighting – makes his story that much more endearing.
The best player in the league will now have the fastest player in the history of the scouting combine – WR Xavier Worthy and his 4.21-second 40 time – at his disposal as a third or fourth option in HC Andy Reid’s offense? How those odds looking on that unprecedented Kansas City Chiefs three-peat bid?
Roughly 275,000 fans flocked downtown to witness the first round, a record per NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Look out, Nashville – seems like Motown is coming for your draft attendance record, which was more than 600,000 fans over three days in 2019.
Lotta teams took QBs. The New York Giants, who picked sixth overall, could have, too, but instead opted to help their embattled incumbent by selecting LSU WR Malik Nabers. Given the parameters of his four-year, $160 million contract, no guarantees – literally – for Jones in 2025, when he may well be an ex-Giant. But at least he goes into the 2024 season with a bona fide playmaker in Nabers and without a young buck looking over his shoulder.
It was blessedly empty by evening’s end, all 13 of this year’s draft invitees – Williams and Odunze (Bears), Nabers (Giants), Latu (Colts), Turner (Vikings), Terrion Arnold (Lions), Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Marvin Harrison Jr. and Darius Robinson (Cardinals), JC Latham (Titans), Drake Maye (Patriots), Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles) and Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars) – finding new homes.
For the fourth time in the common draft era (since 1967), the first three players picked were passers. For the first time ever, six went in the first dozen picks as the 2024 draft joined the legendary one from 1983 as the only ones with a half-dozen QBs off the board in Round 1.
Thursday very much illustrated teams are investing and/or reinvesting at the position at an insane rate. But these young slingers need look no further than three years to get a sense of how expendable they’re becoming, first-round pedigree or not. Four of the five QBs taken in Round 1 in 2021 are already on different teams, none assured of starting again. Kenny Pickett, the lone quarterback taken on Day 1 in 2022, is already an ex-Steeler himself. This isn’t to suggest this year’s crop will fail – though history tells us three of the six probably will – but there’s no doubt the runway for and patience afforded these young arms isn’t near what it used to be.
All those Round 1 cards turned in for offensive players but – no surprise – not a single one was earmarked for a ball carrier for the second time in the past three drafts.
A month after signing a four-year, $180 million contract to join the Atlanta Falcons, “KFC” has already been blindsided – and not by a pass rusher – after his new team made Thursday’s most stunning move by selecting Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. Feels like Cousins is already on a hot seat before ever taking a home snap in ATL.
A sublimely talented passer who turns 24 next month, no telling now when Penix – a starter the past six seasons at the FBS level – will be back in the lineup now that he’s stuck behind Cousins for the foreseeable future. A guy who finally shook the injury bug, his four seasons at Indiana all curtailed by knee and shoulder woes, might have to cope with being a healthy scratch for at least the next two years.
Rampant pre-draft speculation that quarterback-focused trades would rock the top five or certainly the top half of the draft. But it was fairly quiet, three deals going down later in the night following Minnesota’s initial couplet.
A team purportedly desirous of trading into the top five to upgrade its quarterback situation instead stood pat at No. 13 … and missed out on the QB market entirely. Welp.
When the Silver and Black finally went on the clock, they took Georgia TE Brock Bowers – not a bad choice in a vacuum given how highly regarded the two-time Mackey Award winner is relative to where he was enlisted. Yet it wasn’t great news for Mayer, a tight end whom the Raiders selected in the second round last year … and one likely now relegated to a whole lot of blocking duties, which doesn’t get you paid or noticed much in the NFL.
It was obviously not a banner evening for defense, but it was especially rough on the corners – Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell finally breaking the positional seal when the Philadelphia Eagles took him at No. 22. Not a huge surprise safeties and off-ball linebackers are hanging out with tailbacks in the Day 2 club, but a bit of an upset that usually coveted cover guys were on the bench for so long.
Much as Jets GM Joe Douglas adores offensive linemen, he doesn’t have a great track record when drafting them in Round 1 (Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker). Also, Fashanu is unlikely to contribute much in 2024 unless projected starters Tyron Smith or Morgan Moses can’t play. Given their advanced age and occasional durability issues, it stands to reason Fashanu will get some run next season. But can he help a team and 40-year-old quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) in win-immediately mode as much as, say, Bowers might have?
Still Cincinnati Bengals despite their desire to be traded … something the club almost never engages in. And the selection of Georgia OT Amarius Mims did not backfill Cincy at pass rusher or receiver, meaning the team’s unhappy stars are very likely to remain that way for the rest of the year.
All in, right? Then they trade down (OK, OK) before taking Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton, who’s a bit of a project who may not necessarily be ready to contribute to an, uh, all-in push in 2024 (wuh?). Just trade QB Dak Prescott to Atlanta already, Jerry.
The highly productive receiver remains employed by the San Francisco 49ers, though still – for now – without the security a long-term extension would provide as he enters into his walk year. And the Niners drafted Florida WR Ricky Pearsall, who’s not so much an Aiyuk clone, but his arrival does diversify the club’s options. So … will Aiyuk get paid? Won’t he … but remain a member of a lineup that has the shortest Super Bowl odds, according to many of the professionals who set such lines? Or will Aiyuk get dealt and paid … while doubtless winding up on an inferior squad? Stay tuned.
For what it's worth, Aiyuk apparently endorsed the selection of Pearsall, his former teammate at Arizona State.
***Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.
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