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With hundreds of players hoping to hear their names, who are the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft? Who are the players who fans should know about before the draft because they’ll be hearing about them for years to come?
Since this will inevitably be a long list, we wanted to simplify things and narrow the focus to the best players by position in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Best Players By Position in the 2024 NFL Draft
As mentioned, any NFL prospect rankings will include hundreds of players and dozens at every position. Scouring that list is how we came up with our top sleepers in the draft.
However, we also wanted to put together a more focused pre-draft analysis of the best of the best. Take a look as we learn more about the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft at each position.
Quarterback
As usual, the quarterback position will be a focal point in this year’s draft. The Bears are almost certain to take Caleb Williams of USC with the first-overall pick. With the Commanders and Patriots having the next two picks, there is a good chance this becomes the second draft in the last four years in which a quarterback is selected with each of the first three picks.
Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels will more than likely be the next two quarterbacks selected after Williams, although not necessarily in that order.
However, the need for quarterbacks won’t end with those three players. The Broncos, Raiders, and Vikings are also teams that could be targeting a quarterback in the first round. That could lead to as many as six quarterbacks being selected in the opening round.
J.J. McCarthy is a safe bet to be a First Round selection while Michael Penix and Bo Nix could also be off the board by the end of the First Round. If not, they are likely to be selected on Day 2. Beyond those six quarterbacks, Spencer Rattler and Michael Pratt are the names to watch. However, there appears to be a massive gap between the top six quarterbacks and everyone else, so don’t expect a lot of quarterbacks to be selected in the middle rounds.
Best Quarterbacks in NFL Draft
- Caleb Williams, USC
- Drake Maye, North Carolina
- Jayden Daniels, LSU
- J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
- Michael Penix, Washington
Running Back
This is not a particularly good draft class for running backs. Any accomplished college running back with draft eligibility based on the current rules would have been wise to go pro this year because the class is weak.
Among the top running backs in the draft this year, there is no player like Bijan Robinson who is head and shoulders above the rest or good enough to be considered a top-10 selection. In fact, there is barely anybody who could be considered a top-50 pick, so it could be a while until we see any running backs off the board.
Not surprisingly, another Texas running back in Jonathon Brooks is the best available. However, he’s coming off a torn ACL. Michigan’s Blake Corum is a recognizable name but not somebody who will get teams that excited. The good news is that most teams won’t be looking to draft running backs early because they tend to be affordable on the free-agent market.
The Cowboys might be one of the few exceptions to that, as they could be targeting a running back in the second or third round rather than just taking a running back who happens to be the best player available.
Best Running Backs in NFL Draft
- Jonathon Brooks, Texas
- Blake Corum, Michigan
- Bucky Irving, Oregon
- Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
- Trey Benson, Florida State
Wide Receiver
Last year’s rookie class of wide receivers set a high bar thanks to the likes of Puka Nacua, Jordan Addison, and Zay Flowers. However, this year’s class has a chance to be even better. There could easily be three wide receivers selected within the first 10 picks. The caveat is that after that there will be a drop-off when it comes to obvious first-round talent.
That being said, there should be more than three receivers selected in the first round. There will also be a lot of teams looking to address that position. Teams like the Bills, Cardinals, Chargers, Chiefs, Panthers, and Steelers could make wide receiver their top priority while nearly a dozen other teams will be looking to add someone at that position in the first three rounds.
While there is some debate, Marvin Harrison Jr. appears to be the top wide receiver available. If quarterback wasn’t such an obvious need at the top of the draft, the son of a Hall of Famer would be a potential candidate for the top overall pick. Not far behind him are Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. It’d be surprising to see either player fall past the no. 10 pick.
Beyond that trio, there should be at least half a dozen more receivers selected by the end of the second round. Brian Thomas of LSU, Troy Franklin of Oregon, Keon Coleman of Florida State, and Roman Wilson of Michigan are some of the more recognizable names. But this class goes even deeper.
Best Wide Receivers in NFL Draft
- Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
- Malik Nabers, LSU
- Rome Odunze, Washington
- Brian Thomas, LSU
- Troy Franklin, Oregon
Tight End
There is no doubt that the list of 2024 NFL Draft tight ends begins with Georgia’s Brock Bowers. He will be the first tight end selected and could potentially sneak into the top 10. Many scouts believe that Bowers is a generational prospect and could immediately become one of the best tight ends in the NFL and perhaps among the greatest tight ends ever.
That’s no small feat with the likes of Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, and George Kittle in the league alongside an emerging talent like Sam LaPorta. However, tight end isn’t necessarily a position of need for most teams, so it’s a matter of a team viewing Bowers as a luxury pick.
Once Bowers is off the board, there may not be too many tight ends selected until Day 3 of the draft. Ja’Tavion Sanders of Texas is one of the few who projects as a Day 2 pick. Every other tight end may need to wait until Day 3. Nevertheless, there are potentially a few gems with Cade Stover and Ben Sinnott, as well as Erick All, who hails from Iowa, which has become Tight End U.
Best Tight Ends in NFL Draft
- Brock Bowers, Georgia
- Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
- Cade Stover, Ohio State
- Theo Johnson, Penn State
- Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
Offensive Line
Drafting offensive linemen early isn’t always easy; teams can find some stars but they can also swing and miss badly. Fortunately, this appears to be a good time to be in the market for offensive linemen. At offensive tackle alone, there are 6-8 players who are potentially worthy of a first-round selection. The interior positions aren’t quite as loaded; there are only two centers who could be first-round or even top-50 picks. In fact, by the midway point of the second round, there may not be many offensive linemen worth taking until we get to Day 3.
Heading into the draft, the Cowboys, 49ers, Buccaneers, Saints, Rams, Ravens, Titans, Seahawks, and others will be looking to address the offensive line early in the draft.
There are a few other teams that will be monitoring that position closely as well. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a dozen O-linemen selected in the first 40-50 picks. Notre Dame’s Joe Alt will likely be the first off the board. There are a few other offensive tackles who could easily be top-20 picks. Meanwhile, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson could be in high demand, as he leads the list of the top centers in the draft.
Best Offensive Linemen in NFL Draft
- Joe Alt, Notre Dame
- Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
- Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
- Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
- JC Latham, Alabama
Defensive Tackle
The interior of the defensive line is one of the hardest positions for NFL teams to fill. There just aren’t that many human beings with the size, strength, and athleticism needed to dominate in the trenches. That means there is a premium on defensive tackles who project to be difference-makers in the NFL.
There aren’t a ton of players like that in this year’s class, but there are a few. Teams like the Bengals, Browns, and Rams are in dire need of help at this position. But there are at least a dozen teams that will strongly consider defensive tackles during the early rounds.
The two biggest names to watch are Jer’Zhan Newton of Illinois and Byron Murphy of Texas. Both are potential top-10 picks because they are the only two defensive tackles with a clear first-round grade. That being said, several more defensive tackles should have their names called by the end of Day 2. Duke Orhorhoro, who hails from Clemson, and Kris Jenkins of Michigan’s vaunted defense are both among likely second-round picks. There is also good depth at this position thanks to Murphy’s Texas teammate T’Vondre Sweat and a few others.
Best Defensive Tackles in NFL Draft
- Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
- Byron Murphy, Texas
- Braden Fiske, Florida State
- Kris Jenkins, Michigan
- T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
Edge Rusher
There is no such thing as having too many edge rushers in the NFL, which is why players at this position are usually drafted early and often. The Falcons, Rams, Buccaneers, and Bears are the teams most likely to target this position early in this year’s draft.
However, most teams will end up adding an edge rusher at some point, hoping that the player they choose blossoms into a star. In fact, most teams will look to find that edge rusher by the end of Day 2.
The problem is that there is no bonafide top-5 pick at this position the way Will Anderson was last year. Dallas Turner, another Alabama product, is widely regarded as the best available and could potentially be a top-10 selection.
Laiatu Latu of UCLA and Jared Verse of Florida State will surely be first-round picks as well. After that, it’s a matter of preference because different teams will rank edge rushers differently. However, there is at least a handful of edge rushers who should be drafted in the second round if they don’t sneak into the end of the first round, so there is a decent amount of depth at this position.
Best Edge Rushers in NFL Draft
- Dallas Turner, Alabama
- Jared Verse, Florida State
- Laiatu Latu, UCLA
- Chop Robinson, Penn State
- Chris Braswell, Alabama
Linebacker
Unfortunately, this is a bad year for teams looking for at linebacker. There is only a small collection of interior or off-ball linebackers who project to go within the first two or three rounds. Of course, this position has been somewhat devalued in recent years, so there won’t be too many teams making this an early-round priority.
However, there are a few teams, including the Browns, Packers, and Seahawks that will need to address this position in the draft sooner or later.
Naturally, there is some debate over who are the top linebackers in this class. Payton Wilson of NC State is a name that comes up a lot. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. of Clemson is another big name at this position and someone with a strong family lineage. Also, Edgerrin Cooper of Texas A&M and Junior Colson of Michigan are names that college football fans may recognize and NFL fans may hear during the first two days of the draft.
Best Linebackers in NFL Draft
- Payton Wilson, NC State
- Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
- Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
- Junior Colson, Michigan
- Marist Liufau, Notre Dame
Cornerback
There was a solid class of rookie corners last year, but this year’s class could be even better. There are four or five corners who could easily end up going in the First Round. Alabama teammates Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry are among the headliners in this year’s class. Cooper DeJean of that vaunted Iowa defense is also a top player, as is Nate Wiggins of Clemson. Another name to watch is Quinyon Mitchell, who has NFL skills despite playing his college ball at Toledo.
Among teams that need a cornerback, the Jaguars and Colts stand out above the rest. However, there are plenty of other teams that will set their sights on drafting a cornerback in the early rounds, including the Cardinals, Falcons, and Lions.
The good news is that this class is deep with as many as 10 cornerbacks potentially being drafted in the first 50 selections. Look for a lot of corners to come off the board during the latter part of the First Round and the early part of the Second Round with teams taking advantage of the depth at this position.
Best Cornerbacks in NFL Draft
- Terrion Arnold, Alabama
- Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
- Cooper DeJean, Iowa
- Nate Wiggins, Clemson
- Kool-Aid McKinsey, Alabama
Safety
Safety is another position that has been devalued in recent years. Therefore, there aren’t a lot of teams that are going to be making this position a top priority. At the same time, there aren’t a lot of players who have anywhere close to a first-round grade.
Talent-wise, Minnesota’s Tyler Nubin is the only safety who has a chance to be a first-round selection this year. But even he’s not a lock to be drafted on Day 1.
That being said, the second day of the draft should see a few more safeties come off the board. The Bills, Colts, Jets, and Seahawks are all teams that could look for help at that position before we get too deep into the draft. Outside of Nubin, Georgia has a pair of safeties with Javon Bullard and Tykree Smith who will pique somebody’s interest. Jaden Hicks of Washington State is another safety who has a chance to become a difference-maker at the next level.
Best Safeties in NFL Draft
- Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
- Jaden Hicks, Washington State
- Javion Bullard, Georgia
- Kamren Kincens, Miami
- Calen Bullock, USC
Kickers
While they won’t be selected early, there are bound to be a few place kickers selected in this year’s draft. The Rams, Commanders Titans, and Lions are all among the teams that could be considering taking a kicker in the later rounds.
There are also a few more teams that might want to bring in some competition for their current kicker. Not surprisingly, Alabama has one of the best kickers with Will Reichard. But there are a few more college kickers who could have an NFL future.
Best Kickers in NFL Draft
- Will Reichard, Alabama
- Josh Karty, Stanford
- Cam Little, Arkansas
- Harrison Mevis, Missouri
- Alex McNulty, Buffalo
Punters
Much like kickers, there won’t be many punters drafted in 2024, although there are bound to be a few. Teams like the Bears, Bengals, and Saints all ranked near the bottom of the NFL in punting last season and could look for a potential replacement in the draft.
Last year, three punters were chosen during the draft, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see that many selected this year as well.
Best Punters in NFL Draft
- Tory Taylor, Iowa
- Kyle Ostendorp, Arizona
- Matthew Waybill, Vanderbilt
- Austin McNamara
- Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
