Insights gleaned from the 2024 NFL Draft
This year, more than 700,000 individuals gathered in Detroit for the annual NFL draft, surpassing the previous record of 600,000 spectators at the event held in Nashville five years prior. The attendees on the first day witnessed an unparalleled fascination with quarterbacks and offensive players as a whole.
Quarterbacks were the focal point of the first ten picks, breaking NFL history by having five signal callers chosen in that span. Caleb Williams was taken first by the Chicago Bears, yet another potential starter since Justin Fields' departure. Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, followed suit, being chosen by the Washington Commanders. The New England Patriots snapped up North Carolina's Drake Maye as the third overall pick and third quarterback.
By the time Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix were selected by the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos, respectively, it marked the fourth time in NFL history that a span of three picks selected quarterbacks. Surprisingly, the Falcons chose Penix Jr. at No. 8, which caught the incumbent quarterback, Kirk Cousins, off-guard.
"We had no idea this was coming. The truth is the whole league had no idea this was coming," Mike McCartney, Cousins' agent, stated to NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo. "We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons while they were on the clock. That was the first we heard. It never came up in conversation."
Spencer Rattler was the sixth quarterback to be picked, selected by the New Orleans Saints at No. 150 overall. The 137 picks until Saturday's fifth round broke the longest string in NFL Draft history without a quarterback being drafted.
Offensive linemen and wide receivers, two other vital positions, were also in high demand during the event. According to ESPN, a remarkable 55 linemen, including 28 offensive tackles, were chosen throughout the three days, a record for the seven-round draft.
A staggering 35 wide receivers were selected in total, and one of them, Marvin Harrison Jr., was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the fourth overall pick, the first of the group. Both Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers were picked in the top ten, with Odunze going to the Bears at No. 9 and Nabers to the New York Giants at No. 6.
Among these receivers, Xavier Worthy, a Texas standout, set the record for the fastest ever 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in March with a time of 4.21 seconds. The Kansas City Chiefs were excited about the acquisition, as star quarterback Patrick Mahomes posted smiling and running emojis on social media in response.
In the fourth round, the Broncos opted for Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin, who would be reunited with fellow draft pick Nix. This kickstarted a flurry of Ducks' players being selected, culminating in a record eight picks for the program during the draft, with five of those coming in the fourth round.
The second day of the draft focused heavily on defenders, as 20 defenders were chosen in the second round, a high point for the position since 2016, per ESPN. The Indianapolis Colts began this trend by picking defensive end Laiatu Latu at No. 15, the latest first defensive pick in NFL history.
As teams shifted their attention to strengthening their defenses, the Philadelphia Eagles selected defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo, Iowa's Cooper DeJean, and outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt with their first three picks.
"On the final day of the NFL draft, the New York Jets selected Jaylen Key as their last pick, earning him the title 'Mr. Irrelevant.' This title has been given to the last player drafted since 1976, with Jaylen becoming only the second for the Jets since 1969. Key expressed his excitement about being labeled as such, stating, 'It means everything. You've just got to take it and lean into it. For me, I'm definitely going to lean into every bit of it.' In recent history, Mr. Irrelevant has gained more recognition, with Brock Purdy leading the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2022 after being drafted as the final pick. Every year, the last player drafted gets to participate in Irrelevant Week in California, which culminates with a visit to Disneyland. Key said, 'We've got some shoes to fill behind Brock, but I can tell you, we're going to make something happen for sure.'"
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Source: edition.cnn.com
