The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books, which means report card season is now in session.
The first round was loaded with surprises, featuring big-time reaches, unexpected slides, and blockbuster trades. Now, NFL GMs can only cross their fingers and hope that they made the most of their picks in an ultra-deep draft class.
With that all said, let’s dive into our final grades for all 32 first-round picks of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Which teams got the highest grade after selecting in the 2024 NFL Draft?
1. Caleb Williams: A+
The Chicago Bears didn’t have to think twice about this pick, just like how we didn’t have to think twice about the grade.
Williams has the skill set to become a top-five quarterback in the NFL. The Bears have set him up perfectly with a wealth of playmakers.
Fear not, Bears fans. He is miles better than Cade McNown, Mitch Trubisky, and Justin Fields. This man will not let you down.
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2. Jayden Daniels: A
The Washington Commanders did the right thing by rolling the dice on the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner in the 2024 NFL draft. Daniels is a dual-threat sensation and who should do wonders in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
We’re crossing our fingers and hoping Washington won’t mismanage Daniels’ health and potential the way Washington did with RG3. But hey, Dan Snyder is long gone, so let’s just trust that the new Commanders’ regime will maximize Daniels’ potential.
3. Drake Maye: A
The New England Patriots could have traded down and stockpiled more picks, but they played it safe and took the best passer remaining.
It’s the right move, no matter how you look at it. QB is the most important position in football, and there’s no guarantee that New England will be in a spot to land a potential franchise-changing signal-caller in next year’s draft.
Maye might not start right away, but the Patriots signed Jacoby Brissett for a reason. They can take their time developing Maye before passing him the keys to the car.
4. Marvin Harrison Jr. A+
The Arizona Cardinals drafted the best wide receiver NFL prospect in a generation to team up with Kyler Murray. What isn’t there to like?
Harrison Jr. has the size and athleticism to be a Hall of Famer like his old man and Colts legend Marvin Harrison. An offense with Murray, Harrison and Trey McBride is a terrifying thought for the rest of the NFL.
5. Joe Alt: A
We really wanted the Los Angeles Chargers to get a wide receiver here for Justin Herbert…but it’s hard to critique the decision to take the best offensive lineman available. Now Herbert *likely* has his blindside protector for the next decade-plus.
Jim Harbaugh has always been about winning in the trenches. Alt and 2021 first-rounder Rashawn Slater could easily be the league’s best offensive tackle within a couple of years.
6. Malik Nabers: A+
We were admittedly surprised that the New York Giants didn’t take JJ McCarthy here. But they took a more sure thing in LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who should serve as a cornerstone player on New York’s offense for years to come.
The Giants haven’t had a superstar-level wideout since Odell Beckham Jr., who left five years ago. Nabers single-handedly takes over games with his explosive speed and ability to stretch the field, having averaged 17.6 yards per reception last year.
He fills the Giants’ biggest need. If Daniel Jones doesn’t come around in 2024, the Giants can get their new quarterback next year.
7. JC Latham: C+
Felt like 90 percent of NFL mock drafts had the Tennessee Titans taking Joe Alt in this spot, but the Chargers foiled that plan. Nonetheless, the Titans stayed true to their philosophy and took another offensive tackle in Alabama’s JC Latham.
It fills an organizational need, yes. But seeing how the board played out, the Titans obviously could have traded down and snagged Latham later. We were also a little surprised they took him over more polished lineman prospects like Olu Fashanu and Taliese Fuaga.
8. Michael Penix Jr.: D-
This was the most heavily criticized pick that left everyone baffled. Kirk Cousins and his camp have good reason to be disappointed and confused, too.
The Atlanta Falcons just gave Cousins a $180 million contract. They had a pressing need for help on defense. They could have traded down and taken Penix Jr. later.
How does this pick help them now? Someone make it make sense, please.
9. Rome Odunze: A+
This was a great value pick for the Bears, who got the last of the “big three” wideouts thanks to curious moves by the Titans and Falcons.
Odunze has future All-Pro written all over him. A receiving corps with Odunze, DJ Moore, and Keenan Allen means Caleb Williams will go off right away. Honestly, this could go down as the best draft haul in Bears history when all is said and done.
10. JJ McCarthy: A
So much for McCarthy being a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Turns out, the Minnesota Vikings just had to move up one spot from No. 11 to select the QB that they badly wanted all along.
McCarthy should have no issue succeeding on a Minny offense featuring superstar weapons Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson. If he’s not ready to start in 2024, there’s no harm in sitting behind Sam Darnold for a year.
The Vikings’ decision to let Kirk Cousins walk looks like a stroke of genius now.
11. Olu Fashanu: A
The New York Jets’ o-line in 2023 was a bigger disaster than the fourth “Jaws” movie. With future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith only on a one-year deal, the Jets can take their time developing Fashanu before he takes on the task of protecting Aaron Rodgers.
Jets GM Joe Douglas has brought in Smith, Fashanu, John Simpson, and Morgan Moses to ensure Rodgers doesn’t take a beating in 2024. Hard to criticize this pick, seeing how the offensive line was the Jets’ biggest need here.
12. Bo Nix: B-
The Denver Broncos are taking a lot of heat for this pick. They could have gone o-line, corner OR Brock Bowers here, but the QB position moves the needle more than any other.
Denver had to get the last of the top-six QBs while he was on the board. Nix’s pinpoint accuracy and smart decision-making have drawn comparisons to Drew Brees, whom Sean Payton worked with in New Orleans for 15 years.
Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert were once considered boom-or-bust prospects. We gotta let the results play out first, and Payton is the perfect coach to help Nix maximize his potential.
13. Brock Bowers: A
This wasn’t a position of need for the Las Vegas Raiders, but we also have no issue in taking a generational tight end prospect in the 2024 NFL draft.
Davante Adams is on the wrong side of 30, and there’s no guarantee that 2023 second-rounder Michael Mayer will pan out. The Raiders still need to find a long-term solution at QB, but taking Powers ensures there’s at least one superstar-level offensive weapon in place for years to come.
14. Taliese Fuaga: A+
Just about everybody knew that the New Orleans Saints would go o-line here. They have the best offensive lineman remaining in Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, a plug-and-play guy who will immediately bolster Derek Carr’s protection up front.
Even if Ryan Ramcyzk opts against retirement, the Saints can move 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning to guard and put Fuaga at OT. Carr isn’t New Orleans’ long-term answer a QB, but his successor will be in good hands with Fuaga anchoring the o-line.
15. Laiatu Latu: B
We love Laiatu Latu the player. But we just can’t help but wonder why the Colts decided to “strengthen a strength” here when the cornerback was in a greater position of need.
Latu should perform nicely with DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Samson Ebukam headlining a defense that tallied 51 sacks last year. But gahh..we just would’ve LOVED Terrion Arnold in this spot.
Then again, you can’t have too many elite pass-rushers in today’s NFL now can you?!
16. Byron Murphy II: A+
The Seattle Seahawks’ interior defensive line has been a problem for a while now.
They got the best defensive tackle in this NFL draft class in Byron Murphy II, a one-man wrecking machine of a run-stopper and pass-rusher in Mike Macdonald’s blitz-happy defense. The perfect fit all-around here.
17. Dallas Turner: A+
Turner is the best edge-rusher in the 2024 NFL draft. Remember when all those mock drafts had him going eighth overall to Atlanta?
Somehow, Turner fell out of the top 16. The Vikings made their move and traded up via the Jacksonville Jaguars to get Turner, who should immediately take over as Minny’s new MVP on defense following Danielle Hunter’s departure.
Take a bow, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
18. Amarius Mims: C+
With Trey Hendrickson requesting a trade, we were mildly surprised to see the Cincinnati Bengals avoid defense here.
They already have veteran stalwarts Trent Brown and Orlando Brown Jr. at offensive tackle, but Mims carries plenty of upside and could serve as Joe Burrow’s blindside protector for the next decade-plus.
19. Jared Verse: A
The Los Angeles Rams had to address the defensive line after losing Aaron Donald to retirement. And they did just that.
Verse joins the dynamic tandem of Kobie Turner and Byron Young, two sophomores who combined for 17 sacks last year. This is an awfully promising young foundation for the Rams’ D to build around after the NFL draft.
20. Troy Fautanu: A
The Pittsburgh Steelers found a future star in the first round a year ago when they snagged Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
One year later, GM Omar Khan picked up another future Pro Bowler in Troy Fautanu — another plug-and-play prospect who will immediately upgrade a unit that has been problematic for a few years now.
You just know Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are smiling over this pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
21. Chop Robinson: B+
We figured the Miami Dolphins would go pass-rush here after losing Christian Wilkins to free agency, so good on GM Chris Grier to take the best-remaining guy at the position.
Robinson is the ultimate boom-or-bust prospect. But the Dolphins need more than Jaelan Phillips if they’re to contend with the big boys in the AFC. This will be a worthwhile gamble if they can unlock Robinson’s potential.
22. Quinyon Mitchell: A+
The Philadelphia Eagles had the league’s worst pass defense a year ago, but it won’t be a problem again in 2024.
After bringing back CJ Gardner-Johnson, GM Howie Roseman somehow landed arguably the top cornerback in this NFL draft class. Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, second-round pick Cooper DeJean and veteran Darius Slay are going to be a nightmare of a cornerback trio for opposing quarterbacks to deal with.
23. Brian Thomas Jr.: A-
This was a great value pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The only reason it’s not an A+ is because Trevor Lawrence has enough offensive weapons, and we would have liked a cornerback or offensive lineman here.
But if Thomas hits his full ceiling, he and Christian Kirk could soon be a top-five NFL receiving tandem.
24. Terrion Arnold: A+
Arnold is the consensus No. 1 cornerback prospect in the 2024 NFL draft. And the Detroit Lions were able to get him at 24 after trading up with the Dallas Cowboys. That’s not fair.
The Lions’ secondary was a problem last year. Now it’s a strength with Arnold and trade acquisition Carlton Davis arriving in Motor City.
Arnold and former Alabama teammate Brian Branch are going to be a problem together for a very long time in Motown.
25. Jordan Morgan: C
The Green Bay Packers needed an offensive tackle after releasing David Bakhtiari, but Jordan Morgan was a bit of a reach here.
Better offensive line prospects like Tyler Guyton and Graham Barton were available here in the NFL draft. If anything, Green Bay could have probably traded down and picked up Morgan later.
26. Graham Barton: B
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line lost fan favorite and center Ryan Jensen to retirement, and GM Jason Licht didn’t want to waste time finding a suitable replacement.
Barton is an unfinished project who has some cleaning up to do as a pass-blocker. But the upside is there, and playing alongside Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke should make for a smooth transition to the pros.
27. Darius Robinson: C
Arizona had to go defense with their second first-round pick in 2024, but Robinson was a considerable reach here. Another wasted opportunity for a team to trade down and still get their guy later.
Jer’Zhan Newton, Cooper DeJean and Nate Wiggins would have all been better value picks for the Cardinals. At any rate, the Cardinals at least addressed their need for pass-rushing help here.
28. Xavier Worthy: A-
Worthy is another boom-or-bust NFL prospect in this draft class. But with Rashee Rice facing an uncertain future in Kansas City, the defending champions had to go with a receiver in round one.
And if there’s one team that can maximize Worthy’s lightning-quick speed and talents, it’s the Chiefs. Worthy can’t do better than Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes as his coach and quarterback.
29. Tyler Guyton: B
Having lost Tyron Smith to the Jets in free agency, day one was the perfect opportunity for the Dallas Cowboys to pounce and get his successor.
Guyton is a long-term project who might not see much playing time as a rookie, but Dallas has been an offensive line factory for decades. Eventually, Guyton and 2022 first-rounder Tyler Smith should be a top-tier duo on the edges.
30. Nate Wiggins: C
Wiggins was widely projected to be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, so some may call this a good value pick for the Ravens. To us, it’s a baffling pick since they already have three-star defensive backs in Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Marcus Williams.
Wiggins is a luxury, not a necessity, for the Ravens. But if he ends up being the shutdown corner that many scouts envision, we suppose four Pro Bowl-caliber defensive backs isn’t a bad thing for John Harbaugh’s squad…
31. Ricky Pearsall: D
Woof, what a reach this was by the 49ers. The pass-catcher position is their biggest strength as is, and why in the world did they take Pearsall over superior receivers like Adonai Mitchell, Keon Coleman, Ladd McConkey and Xavier Legette?
We hate questioning one of football’s best executives in John Lynch, but this was easily the second-most confusing pick in round one after Michael Penix Jr. to Atlanta.
32. Xavier Legette: B+
Bryce Young is out of excuses now.
Adam Thielen was his only reliable pass-catcher a year ago. The Panthers traded for Diontae Johnson THEN moved up into the No. 32 spot to select South Carolina speedster Xavier Legette.
The Panthers can take a bow for getting a quality receiver in round one despite entering the draft with limited picks. We would have preferred Ladd McConkey or Adonai Mitchell here, but Legette fills a weakness nonetheless. Mr. Young should be a very happy man.
What do you think was the best pick in round one of the 2024 NFL Draft, and which one was the worst?
