The 2024 NFL Draft kicked off on Thursday with the first round taking place from Hart Plaza in Detroit. We saw a record 23 offensive players being taken in the first round, including six quarterbacks being selected in the top 12 picks alone.
As everyone expected, the Chicago Bears kicked off the festivities by selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick and the Washington Commanders followed it up by taking LSU QB Jayden Daniels at No. 2. The biggest surprise of the evening came at No. 8, when the Atlanta Falcons shockingly took Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. just one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. We also didn’t see a single defensive player taken off the board until No. 15, where the Indianapolis Colts selected UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu.
Heading into Day 2, there are several great prospects still on the board who could’ve heard their names called in round one. Chief among them is Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, who is in this spot after just three defensive backs were taking in the first round. Other prospects top prospects who are also still on the board includes Alabama corner Kool-Aid McKinstry, Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, and Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Here’s our list of best players available heading into the second and third rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday. The Buffalo Bills will get the first crack at these prospects with the No. 33 pick.