The 2024 NFL draft could go down as one of the best classes of all time.
In the first round alone, there were several selections who instantly became stars in the NFL, including a rookie quarterback who guided his team to championship Sunday. Perhaps one day this draft class could be as good as the 2011 draft, which had Cam Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones, Tyron Smith and J.J. Watt all taken within the first 11 picks.
The 2024 group also wasn’t short on stars with the first 13 picks. It’s not surprising that our 10 biggest draft hits from last year are all first-round picks, but this was a difficult list to form. Second-round selections Cooper DeJean, Ladd McConkey, Braden Fiske, Edgerrin Cooper and T’Vondre Sweat all had standout rookie seasons with their respective teams.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had two gems in Bucky Irving and Jalen McMillan, the former drafted in the fourth round and the latter in the third. The Los Angeles Chargers had a pair of impactful defensive backs from the fifth round, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart.
There were many worthy rookies for this list, but there’s no denying the impact the first-round picks had in 2024.
10. Joe Alt, OT, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers brass likely hasn’t spent a second wondering whether wide receiver Malik Nabers would have been the better choice at No. 5. Alt quickly proved the draft assessments correct, looking the part of a tackle the Chargers won’t have to worry about much for the next decade. Alt’s rookie year is more impressive considering that he was asked to start at right tackle after spending most of his time on the left side with Notre Dame. Coach Jim Harbaugh knew in Week 1 he made the correct choice after Alt contained Maxx Crosby for most of his regular-season debut.
9. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Many unfairly labeled Nix as a potential draft bust solely because he was the sixth choice among the quarterbacks selected in the first round. But the No. 12 pick quickly gained the respect of coach Sean Payton by grasping his complex offensive scheme. It was easy to tell Nix started 61 collegiate games based on the rhythm he played with on the field. There were times he rushed throws and Payton had a love-hate relationship with his risky downfield shots, but Nix sustained drives with his strong command of the offense. He might not have the physical traits of the quarterbacks drafted before him, but he landed in an ideal situation in Denver. Nix completed 66.3% of his passes and recorded 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
8. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Cornerbacks can take a while to develop partly because quarterbacks love to pick on rookies throughout games, especially the ones left on an island with dangerous wide receivers. But Mitchell immediately embraced the role of being the Eagles’ No. 1 outside cornerback and had no trouble being thrown into the fire. The 6' 0", 193-pound Mitchell leaned on his size, athleticism and tough mental makeup to produce a sensational rookie season that wasn’t far from what Sauce Gardner did in his first year in 2022.
Not many expected a shutdown corner to emerge from a draft class that didn’t have a single defender drafted in the first 14 picks last year. Teams will be kicking themselves for years for letting Mitchell fall to the Eagles at No. 22.
7. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
The stench from the Bears’ drama-filled 2024 season overshadowed the positives Williams had on the field as a rookie. For as good as Jayden Daniels was last year, Williams might still be the correct No. 1 choice because of the flashes he displayed, including the off-platform throws reminiscent of a prime Aaron Rodgers.
But Williams will need to slow the game down mentally and physically before he’s able to put his elite skill set together. Williams could have a prolific Year 2 with a better offensive line and rushing attack. Williams completed 62.5% of his passes and recorded 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions.
6. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Thomas wasn’t viewed by draft experts in the same light as Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze were last draft season. The scouting reports made it seem as if Thomas was a one-trick wideout who can stretch the field. As it turned out, Thomas did that very well, immediately developing as one of the game’s best downfield threats thanks to his elite speed.
But Thomas wouldn’t have been open downfield without his high-level routes and physicality against defenders. Unlike Thomas, Harrison and Odunze struggled to create space as rookies—both were top-10 picks. Thomas, the No. 23 selection, quickly proved that he’s a polished all-around receiver, one who could have many dominant seasons as Trevor Lawrence’s No. 1 wide receiver. Thomas racked up 87 catches for 1,282 yards, 10 touchdowns, and averaged 14.7 yards per reception.
5. Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
The Patriots didn’t rush Maye to the field to protect him from their poor roster, but the No. 3 pick likely would have had immediate success as a Week 1 starter based on his 13 impressive performances. Maye had many highs and lows, which were expected with a shaky offensive line and lackluster receiving corps, but the flashes made it easy to see why Maye received comparisons to Justin Herbert and Josh Allen before the draft.
His exceptional footwork in the pocket paired with his strong arm often created wow throws. Maye had a wild game-tying touchdown pass as time expired to send the game against the Tennessee Titans into overtime. He took his lumps as a rookie, but the future is bright for Maye, who completed 66.6% of his passes and recorded 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
4. Jared Verse, edge, Los Angeles Rams
GM Les Snead doesn’t get enough credit when it comes to finding draft gems. Verse’s imposing strength and tenacity on the field made him the best edge rusher from last year’s group. Perhaps a surprise to some because Dallas Turner and Laiatu Latu were rated higher by most draft experts. Verse was selected at No. 19, a few spots after Turner and Latu.
There were reports about the Rams eyeing a trade up to land Brock Bowers, but evidently, they had no problem trusting their scouting reports and waiting to select Verse, the Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Rams have invested in the defensive line in the past few years, but Verse’s presence is what makes them one of the best units in the league. He put on a show in the playoff loss against the Eagles in front of a hostile environment that constantly booed him for saying Philly fans are annoying. Verse, who had 4.5 sacks, provides more than just words.
3. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
After a quiet Week 1 debut, Nabers proved he’s capable of being a dominant force on a weekly basis. The No. 6 pick constantly made acrobatic catches over defensive backs, especially in performances against the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns in Weeks 2 and 3. There were times that Nabers didn’t fill the stat sheet because of the Giants’ terrible options at quarterback, but he still produced 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. The competitive edge he plays with often helped him stay productive in games despite playing for one of the worst offenses in the NFL.
It’s wild to think Nabers’s numbers could have been a lot better if he didn’t have Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock as his starting quarterbacks last season. He could be in store for a monster second season with gun-slingers Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson. Those two quarterbacks might not win many games, but they know how to let their wide receivers make plays downfield.
2. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
The success of Bowers last season could end up helping this year’s top tight end prospects, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. Bowers fell to the Raiders at No. 13 partly because teams don’t value tight ends when it comes to high first-round picks. But the teams that passed on Bowers failed to realize that his elite traits for getting open and grabbing contested catches made him more of a wide receiver.
The Raiders embraced Bowers’s versatility and used him all over the field, making him their top pass catcher in 2024. Bowers dominated the Kansas City Chiefs during their Black Friday meeting, with the Georgia product recording 10 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown. Like Nabers, Bowers put up dominant numbers playing for a terrible offense, often producing as much as the league’s best No. 1 wideouts. Bowers finished with 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns.
1. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Daniels had one of the best rookie seasons of all time for a quarterback. But what truly made his rookie year special was the clutch moments, including the walk-off Hail Mary against the Bears and producing the game-winning drive in the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He proved to the Commanders that he was their franchise quarterback by going toe to toe with Joe Burrow on Monday Night Football and shocking the football world by lighting up the Detroit Lions in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Daniels’s poise, accuracy and fearless downfield throws quickly established him as one of the league’s best quarterbacks, and he might already be a top-10 player at the position. There really wasn’t much to criticize from his memorable rookie year, which could have been better if the Commanders had a better defense.
Washington knows what it has in Daniels. The Commanders went all in for Year 2 by trading for wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tackle Laremy Tunsil. Daniels completed 69% of his passes and threw for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2024 NFL Draft Class Could Go Down Among the Best Ever.
