The 2024 NFL draft is only 11 months away, which means it’s time to prepare.
While there’s an entire season in both the college and professional ranks ahead, it’s never too early to begin understanding what next year’s rookie class might look like.
This year, quarterbacks will dominate the conversation even more than normal, with USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye being hailed as can’t-miss picks. In the case of Williams, many believe he’s the best prospect to emerge since Andrew Luck came out of Stanford in the 2012 draft—and, yes, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence have both been No. 1 picks since then.
So who should you pay close attention to come autumn? Here’s our list of the top 25 prospects eligible for the 2024 draft.
1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Williams is a generational talent who won the Heisman Trophy in his first year with the Trojans, throwing for 4,537 yards on 9.1 yards per attempt, with 42 touchdowns against five interceptions. He’s the consensus top pick for almost every prognosticator, showcasing an elite blend of size at 6'1" and 218 pounds, along with arm talent and athleticism.
2. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
If there’s any competition at quarterback for Williams, it comes from Chapel Hill. Maye became the Tar Heels’ starter last year and lit up the ACC, throwing for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns. At 6'5" and 220 pounds, Maye has the build every NFL team is looking for. If he has another elite season, he’ll likely be a top-three pick in 2024.
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3. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Harrison is an elite talent, easily the best receiver prospect since Ja’Marr Chase came out of LSU in 2020. If Harrison had been eligible to be drafted this spring, he would have been the first wideout off the board and almost certainly a top-10 pick. Last year, he caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns.
4. Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama
Turner has had to split time on the crowded Alabama defense over his first two years in Tuscaloosa, but look for him to break out with Will Anderson Jr. now a member of the Texans. In his first two seasons for the Tide, Turner racked up 18 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks off the edge.
5. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
At 6'6" and 323 pounds, Fashanu has excellent size but remains nimble enough to deal with all types of edge rushers. Arguably the top tackle in the 2024 class, Fashanu earned second-team All–Big Ten honors despite being in the conference last season with Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, and Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski.
6. J.T. Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State
In his second season with the Buckeyes, Tuimoloau showed his talent last year with 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. If his production spikes once more, he could be the next Ohio State edge rusher to be taken in the top-five picks, following behind Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa and Chase Young.
7. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Bowers came to Georgia in 2021 as a true freshman and has been dominant from the jump. Over the past two years, he has amassed 119 receptions for 1,824 yards and 20 touchdowns, winning a pair of national titles. He’s clearly the top tight end prospect on the board going into this season.
8. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
At only 6'1" and 180 pounds, McKinstry is a smaller corner, but one with great film at one of college football’s cornerback factories. In 22 games, McKinstry totaled 16 passes defensed and two interceptions as a true sophomore. Last season, McKinstry was a first-team All-SEC member, setting himself up as the top corner on next year’s board.
9. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Alt is an elite tackle with the Golden Domers. His father, John, played 13 seasons with the Chiefs, making two Pro Bowls. With Notre Dame, Alt is a mountain at 6'8" and 315 pounds, earning first-team All-American status in 2022. With another top-end season, Alt should be a top-10 pick.
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10. Leonard Taylor III, DT, Miami
Taylor stands 305 pounds and is one of the nation’s most destructive interior forces. He has 19 tackles for loss and five sacks across two seasons at Miami. He was a five-star recruit coming out of Miami Palmetto High School, making the Hurricanes’ best defensive talent a local product.
11. JC Latham, OL, Alabama
Only 20 years old, Latham is already one of the country’s best linemen. After being a reserve in his first year with the Crimson Tide, Latham started last season at right tackle, facing quality SEC opponents most weeks. Between his 6'6", 325-pound size and athleticism, Latham projects as an early first-round pick next April.
12. Maason Smith, DT, LSU
Staying in the SEC, we move to Baton Rouge. Smith is an intriguing talent who has to prove plenty in his third year with the Tigers, after playing in only eight games across two seasons. Last year, Smith sustained a torn ACL in the season opener, an injury he’s looking to put behind him quickly. At his best, Smith is a menace rushing from inside at 300 pounds.
13. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Egbuka is largely overshadowed at Ohio State because he plays across from Marvin Harrison Jr., but he’s one of the best receivers in the land. Last year, Egbuka caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning second-team All–Big Ten honors. Expect another enormous year from the duo, even with quarterback C.J. Stroud now playing for the Texans.
14. Chop Robinson, OLB, Penn State
A transfer to Penn State before last season, Robinson became a force off the edge. In his first year with the Nittany Lions, the former Maryland Terrapin registered 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. At 240 pounds, Robinson is a bit undersized but could add some muscle to his frame in the weight room.
15. Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
A transfer from Albany, Verse became a sensation for Florida State in 2022. The edge rusher earned All-American honors along with being named first-team All-ACC, amassing 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks. At 6'4" and 250 pounds, Verse has ideal size while showcasing fantastic athleticism. He’ll be a first-round pick with another strong year in Tallahassee.
16. Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
At 295 pounds, Newton is one of the more explosive interior rushers in college football. At Illinois, the 20-year-old made first-team All–Big Ten last season with 5.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Entering his fourth year with the Illini, Newton has consistently improved, already appearing in 32 games for the program.
17. Bralen Trice, DE, Washington
Trice’s early years with the Huskies were a display of patience. He redshirted in 2019, before opting out of the abbreviated and unusual campaign in ’20. However, after spot duty in ’21, Trice broke out last season with nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss, earning him first-team All–Pac 12 honors. With another big year, he could be a mid-first-round pick.
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18. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Penix is a fascinating prospect. While everyone agrees Williams and Maye are the top two quarterbacks for 2024, there’s no consensus on the third. Penix has been in college since ’18, playing for Indiana and Washington. Last year was a breakout campaign, throwing for 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns. At 23, he’s comparatively old but has eye-catching talent.
19. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Worthy is quite diminutive at 160 pounds, but he’s electric in the open field. Over the past two years with the Longhorns, Worthy caught 122 passes for 1,741 yards and 21 touchdowns. Although the size concerns are clear, his ability to get vertical and make the big play will be attractive to a litany of teams.
20. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
DeJean became a star last fall at Iowa, after playing a reserve role in 2021. The 20-year-old nabbed five interceptions and three touchdowns to earn first-team All–Big Ten honors as a true sophomore. DeJean also has excellent size for a corner at 6'1" and 209 pounds, giving him a great combination of productivity, traits and size.
21. Kingsley Suamataia, OL, BYU
Suamataia was originally an Oregon recruit before entering the transfer portal and ending up with BYU for the 2022 season. In Provo, he became a starter and dominated for the Cougars, showing power and movement at 315 pounds. Originally a five-star prospect, Suamataia could solidify his status as a first-round pick with another strong campaign for the independent.
22. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., ILB, Clemson
The son of a former NFL linebacker, Trotter is an athletic edge rusher for Clemson who is a tantalizing prospect. At only 230 pounds, Trotter is undersized but has performed at Clemson, totaling 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season, along with two interceptions and a forced fumble.
23. Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State
Without question, Beebe enters 2023 as the most accomplished offensive lineman eligible for the ’24 class, playing all over the line. At Kansas State, the 322-pounder is already a two-time, first-team All–Big 12 member. He also earned first-team All-American status and won Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year last season. If Beebe continues this trajectory, he should add more accolades before the NFL calls.
24. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Odunze didn’t do much in his first two seasons with the Huskies, playing in 11 games and totaling 47 receptions for 487 yards and four touchdowns. However, the Las Vegas native became a star in 2022, notching 75 receptions for 1,145 yards and seven scores. Look for Penix and Odunze to be one of the nation’s best duos.
25. Kalen King, CB, Penn State
Penn State has been churning out corners in recent years, including Joey Porter Jr. this past spring. This year, keep an eye on King, who could work his way into the first round with a strong showing. Last year with the Nittany Lions, King totaled three interceptions and 15 passes defensed, showcasing excellent ball skills.
