Five NFL Prospects To Watch For in 2024
The National Football League season ended with a thrilling overtime Super Bowl, seeing the Kansas City Chiefs top the San Francisco 49ers 25–22. Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award thanks to his game-winning touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman, securing back-to-back championships for the Chiefs and a third Super Bowl win in five seasons. With football now done until August, fans can immediately think about next season. The NFL Draft Combine takes place February 26 through March 4, giving fans an inside look at the best draft prospects for 2024. Let’s look at five top draft prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.
Caleb Williams | Quarterback, USC
Long viewed as the consensus #1 overall pick, Williams had a down year in 2023. After throwing 42 touchdowns and winning the Heisman Trophy, Williams responded with another standout season, averaging over nine yards per attempt and throwing 30 touchdown passes despite attempting more than 100 fewer passes.
However, USC lost six of seven games down the stretch, starting with an ugly 48–20 loss to Notre Dame, where Williams threw a career-high three interceptions. Images from that night resonate in fans’ minds, but Williams threw just one interception the rest of the way.
Williams’ numbers are far better than he gets credit for, even if they weren’t as impressive as his Heisman year. College football odds today favor USC far less than they did with him. Two years ago, Williams was seen as a generational prospect. He may not have the same shine, but he should still go first overall and be an immediate starter in this league, whether in Chicago or elsewhere.
Marvin Harrison Jr | Wide Receiver, Ohio State
If Williams was the long-viewed consensus #1 overall pick, Marvin Harrison Jr. is the long-viewed consensus #1 all-around receiver.
The son of Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison, Harrison Jr. might be the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson. As Williams struggled, names like Caleb Maye and Jayden Daniels floated to the top of draft boards because taking a wide receiver #1 overall isn’t done.
Despite this, make no mistake: Harrison Jr. may not be at the top of the draft order, but he is at the top of many teams’ prospect rankings and might be the best player in this draft.
At 6’4″ and just over 200 pounds, Harrison Jr. has dominated his first two seasons as a starter, going for over 1,200 yards both years and scoring 29 combined touchdowns. ESPN ranks him as the top prospect in his class and one of the most well-rounded wide receiver prospects ever.
Jayden Daniels | Quarterback, LSU
While Williams has long been a consensus #1 overall pick, Jayden Daniels was a virtual unknown before 2023. There are some comparisons between Daniels and Joe Burrow.
Both players began their college careers with transfers and mediocrity. Both players had moderate success in their first season as starters for LSU before bursting onto the scene with a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
Before his senior year, Daniels had never thrown for more than 20 touchdowns. He ended his senior year with 40 while throwing just four interceptions. He also threw for nearly 1,000 more yards despite attempting 60 fewer passes.
Despite not participating in NFL Combine workouts, the former four-star recruit shot up draft boards and could be a top-five pick.
Image credit: Gene Gallin via Unsplash
Caleb Maye | Quarterback, North Carolina
No projected top-five player’s stock has jumped up and down more than Caleb Maye. Since the beginning of 2023, he has been a near consensus top-10 pick.
However, as the season unfolded, he has been viewed as the future #1 overall pick and, at other times, the third-best quarterback in his class. Either way, Maye brings exceptional arm talent to the table as he attempts to exercise the ghosts of the North Carolina quarterback’s past.
Mitchell Trubisky is now infamously known as the North Carolina quarterback that the Bears traded for when Patrick Mahomes was still on the board. Now, with yet another quarterback decision, they’ll choose between Williams, Daniels, or another North Carolina quarterback.
Unlike Trubisky, though, Maye has a unique arm and a lot more experience at the college level. He might carry the North Carolina quarterback stigma, but he could break the mold.
