The 2024 NFL Draft will take place in Detroit from April 25-27 and the opening round could feature some big-time offensive players coming off the board. In fact, we could see as many as five quarterbacks, seven receivers and seven or eight offensive linemen chosen in round one. Led by a quartet of quarterbacks – it is the game's most important position, after all – here are 10 offensive players to look out for later this month.
CALEB WILLIAMS – QB – USC
It seems to be clear that Caleb Williams is heading to the Chicago Bears and if that happens, the NFC North club could be getting a franchise-altering gem. Williams is a natural thrower of the football who turns into a magician when on the move. When working in the pocket, Williams has been compared to Drew Brees. And when he turns into a playmaking magician, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has been mentioned in the same breath as Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. That shows just how high the level of expectation is surrounding Williams as he gets set to begin his NFL journey
JAYDEN DANIELS – QB – LSU
Named college football's best player as the winner of The Heisman Trophy in 2023, Jayden Daniels is the perfect modern-day quarterback who can hurt defenses with his arm and his legs. Daniels threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns in his final college football season. He also flashed his skills as an elite and sudden runner, rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 scores in 2023. With a wealth of experience as a five-year starter, Daniels should hit the ground running at the NFL level. But he must take better care of his body when he runs on Sundays because he cuts a tall and slender figure that cannot afford to be pounded.
DRAKE MAYE – QB – NORTH CAROLINA
We are likely to hear the names of three quarterbacks called in the first three picks of this NFL Draft. And Drake Maye will go second or third behind Williams. Maye has classic size for a quarterback at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds and a power arm, drawing comparisons to the Chargers' Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence, of Jacksonville. But there is more to Maye's game than just throwing lasers downfield. He can deliver accurate finesses passes and is also a very good athlete who can run when called upon.
J.J. McCARTHY – QB – MICHIGAN
There will be quite the run on quarterbacks early in the 2024 NFL Draft and the national championship-winning J.J. McCarthy will be taken early in round one due to the importance of the position. McCarthy was very consistent during his college career and has been compared to Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins in that he is a fearless player but one who will make the occasional mistake. What makes McCarthy an interesting figure in this draft is that not everyone is convinced he should go in the top 10. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has McCarthy 20th on his big board, while Bleacher Report believes J.J. is the 54th-best player available.
MARVIN HARRISON JR. – WR – OHIO STATE
The son of former Indianapolis Colts Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Marvin Harrison Jr. is already being talked about as a potential gold jacket talent who will prompt whoever drafts him to eventually build a statue of him outside of their stadium. That's a lofty bar indeed! Few players have entered the NFL with anything close to that kind of hype in recent years. Harrison is the complete package who makes everything he does look effortless. Many scouts believe that, regardless of position, he is the best player available in the 2024 NFL Draft. Harrison will be an instant hit come September.
MALIK NABERS – WR – LSU
While many believe Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best player in the draft, some scouts actually favour Malik Nabers as the most enticing wide receiver prospect. Nabers is a dynamic and electric playmaker who has been described as "an offensive defibrillator." While he is a true deep threat, Nabers can do it all. He can make the tough receptions over the middle and pick up valuable yards after the catch. Nabers can also play inside and out and is tough to defend wherever he lines up, drawing comparisons to Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase.
ROME ODUNZE – WR – WASHINGTON
The third receiver who will hear his name called early on April 25 is Rome Odunze, who is a big, athletic target with excellent hands. Odunze has been hailed as a "complete player" and "a quarterback's best friend." He is a refined and polished receiver who excels at coming down with the football on contested catches. That's vital in the NFL because you're not always going to be three yards open at the game's highest level. Drawing comparisons to the great Larry Fitzgerald, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, hopes are high for Odunze once he kicks off his NFL career.
BROCK BOWERS – TE – GEORGIA
Not every elite receiving option will focus on the wideouts in Detroit. The best tight end on the board is Brock Bowers, who is an exciting prospect who threatens to take every catch he makes to the end zone. Bowers has elite speed and is a true playmaker. Whoever takes Bowers in round one is not grabbing him for blocking duties. His value comes in the passing game, for sure. Bowers runs great routes and can make things happen with the ball in his hands, drawing lofty comparisons to San Francisco's George Kittle.
JOE ALT – OT – NOTRE DAME
This is a good class for offensive tackles and Joe Alt, of Notre Dame, is the most intriguing option in the top half of the first round. He is a massive 6-foot-9 and 321 pounds and will have time to grow into his NFL role as Alt will be 21 for the entirety of his rookie season. Alt has the athletic ability to be a stud left tackle and his instincts and intelligence serve him well in the heat of battle. It also helps that he blocks out the sun when he lines up and that will make him an imposing figure in the NFL, despite that youth.
TRAVIS CLAYTON – OT – NO COLLEGE (IPP)
Keep an eye on day three of the NFL Draft as we will all be hoping that one of our own, English offensive tackle Travis Clayton, gets chosen following a successful 10-week preparatory stint in Florida on the International Player Pathway (IPP) programme. Clayton boasts ideal size for an NFL lineman at 6-foot-7 and more than 300 pounds and is an outstanding athlete who has tried his hand at soccer, boxing, rowing, skeleton and now American football. Can he follow in the footsteps of Australian IPP success story Jordan Mailata, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 and who recently signed a contract extension worth $66 million?
