The 2024 NFL Draft is finally here, and all 32 teams will do their best to improve for next season and beyond. Some will make franchise-changing picks in Round 1, while others will take total busts. And while we won't know exactly how these picks will turn out for a few years, that won't stop us from handing out instant-reaction grades to each team's picks, trades, or other draft-day moves in this NFL draft tracker space.
2024 NFL Draft tracker, live grades
1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers): QB Caleb Williams, USC
This has been the worst-kept secret of the entire 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears decided they were going to draft Caleb Willams months ago, so this has been in the books for a while now.
I have some concerns about Willams' size and his devotion to winning football games, but there is no doubt he is the best QB prospect in this draft and one of the best of the decade thus far. Chicago had to make this move, and to their credit, they didn't mess around. They just did it. And for a franchise whose last good QB was Sid Luckman, this will be fun for Bears fans.
Grade: A
2. Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
Top Golf fiasco aside, the Commanders decided to make Jayden Daniels their pick. Taking a potential fanchise QB makes sense, but there are more question marks surrounding Daniels than you'd like.
Daniels is one of just two NFL draft prospects who refused to be weighed and measured at the combine, calling into question his playing weight. The former LSU QB plays with reckless abandon, and that’s a big part of what makes him great. The problem is, if he does it at 190 pounds in the NFL, he’s going to spend a lot of time on the sideline with injuries. He's also a one-season wonder, which should make fans nervous.
Overall, this was a move the Commanders had to make, but there is just too much Robert Grifin III in Daniels, and that is a scary thing in Washington.
Grade: B-
3. New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
Another team, another (potential) franchise quarterback pick. Again, kudos to the Patriots for not messing around and just making the pick, as nerve-racking as it may be. Drake Maye has everything you want in a signal-caller, except a proven history of winning games. And that's a bit of a problem.
Still, you can't teach 6-foot-4, 223 pounds, and that's what Maye brings to the Patriots now. The on-field success can — at least partially — be blamed on his Tar Heels supporting cast. Like Josh Allen and Will Levis, you can only do so much in college if the team around you stinks. Even in New England (that still needs a major talent infusion), Maye will find much more talented teammates, and then his talent will shine through.
Grade: A
4. Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
The current theme of the 2024 NFL Draft is K.I.S.S — keep it simple, stupid. The first three teams needed a QB and they took one, and now the Cardinals, who don't need a QB, just took the best non-signal-caller in the draft class in Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison was born and bred to play in the NFL and follow in his Hall of Fame father's footsteps. He automatically makes Kyler Murray's life easier and gives Arizona one of its only blue-chip prospects. The pundits love to say, “trade down, trade down!” but when you have the chance to take a WR1 for years to come, you take it and don't look back.
Grade: A
5. Los Angeles Chargers: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
In the days and weeks leading up to the NFL draft, there is a lot of lies and misinformation out there. The one beacon of truth in all this is Jim Harbaugh. The new Chargers coach doesn't fudge the truth because he doesn't care what you think. He loves offensive linemen, he thinks they are the key to football, and he was always going to take one at No. 5.
Joe Alt is another second-generation NFL player (his dad John was a two-time Pro Bowl guard for the Chiefs) who seems destined to succeed. At 6-foot-8, 321 pounds, Alt is going to dominate right off the bat, and if he does, look out for a national championship-looking, Michigan-style, road-grading offense to come to a Sunday Ticket near you this season.
Grade: A
6. New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
This was the first real decision a team had to make in the 2024 NFL Draft. Should the Giants have taken a quarterback? Probabaly. But using the No. 6 pick on a QB a year after handing out a $160 million contract to Daniel Jones is a tough sell to your owner. So, GM Joe Schoen went with what seems like the second of three can't-miss wide receivers in this class.
Malik Nabers is explosive and he could be the next great LSU wideout to hit the NFL. However, while he has flashes of Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase, he's not as polished as either of those players coming out. Rome Odunze profiles as more of the pure X/WR1 the Giants need, so taking yet another small-ish WR is a bit of a gamble, but if it pays off it could save Jones, Schoen, and Brian Daboll's job.
Grade: B
7. Tennessee Titans: OT JC Latham, Alabama
When the new head coach hires his dad as the offensive line coach, is it any surprise that they draft a tackle in the first round of the NFL draft a few months later? Surprise or not this is a good move by the Titans, who can put JC Latham next to last year's first-rounder, Peter Skowronski, and forget about one side of the line for a decade.
The question here is, should Latha have been the second tackle off the board? Well, he's a right tackle, which seems to be what the Titans want, so he makes sense over Olu Fashanu, left tackle from Penn State. On the other hand, Taliese Fuaga out of Oregon State is RT 1B at worst, so this is a big decision that will get compared to Fuaga for years to come.
Grade: B+
8. Atlanta Falcons: QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Wow! What a shocker here. If anyone had Michael Penix Jr. in the top 10 and as the third QB off the board, ahead of J.J. McCarthy, take that person to Las Vegas right now. After signing Kirk Cousins, taking Penix Jr. at No. 8 is a wild move. It is a new regime in Atlanta, but the head-scratching first-round picks continue.
All that said, Penix is a little older, and he might be the most NFL-ready QB in Week 1 (even though, again, the Falcons have Cousins). This is how it goes with QBs, in the end. If this works out, it's genius. No one will remember most pundits had Penix in the late first round at best. If it doesn't work out, though, this is a massive blunder.
Taking a QB you love is something teams have to do when you're a GM, and for better or worse, Falcons GM Terry Fontenot did just that. It's a gutsy, potentially disastrous pick, but you have to give credit for trying a big swing.
Grade: C-
9. Chicago Bears: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
In almost no mock draft did the second-best wide receiver fall all the way to No. 9, but that's exactly what happened (thanks, Giants and Falcons!) Thursday night. To get a franchise QB and a superstar WR1 in the same hour is a huge win for the Bears. For a team that has never had an elite passing game, this is a windfall and could propel the team right into the mix of the suddenly uber-competitive NFC North.
Grade: A+
10. Minnesota Vikings (via Jets): QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Well, the Vikings started the process of drafting a quarterback weeks ago when they traded for the Houston Texans' first-round pick. In the end, they only had to give up a fourth and a fifth-rounder to move up one spot to get their QB.
While they got a QB, that QB is J.J. McCarthy. The former Wolverine has some tools and definatley the athleticism, but Jim Harbaugh didn't trust him to win big games in college, so it's still up in the air whether McCarthy can do it on the pros. The one thing he'll have in Minnesota that he didn't have in Michigan is Justin Jefferson, so that's a good start toward looking good next season.
Grade: B
11. New York Jets (via Vikings): OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
This is a solid pick by the Jets because it straddles the line between being a win-now, Aaron Rodgers-based move and a move for the future. The Jets need a young tackle, as the combined age of their current tackles — Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses — is approximately 197 years old (don't Google that).
Fashanu is still a little raw, but he may be the most talented tackle in this draft. If the Jets offensive staff can coach him up quickly, he will be a huge addition on either side of the line. And protecting Rodgers, after he lasted just four plays last season, is paramount. Plus, whoever is the Jets QB of the future after Rodgers will benefit from this pick as well.
Grade: B+
12. Denver Broncos: QB Bo Nix, Oregon
Six quarterbacks in 12 picks is absolutely bonkers in this offensive-crazy draft. On the one hand, this was the last chair left when the musical chairs stopped, so the Broncos had to jump on Bo Nix if they wanted a signal-caller. However, Nix is a late first, early second-round pick at best.
If anyone can get the best out of a seemingly average QB, it's Sean Payton (see Drew Brees). Nix doesn't have a great arm, but he's got a solid head on his shoulders and some athleticism in his legs. Picking Nix at 12 is too rich for my blood, but as I said above, if it works out, no one will remember that this seems early.
Grade: C+
13. Las Vegas Raiders: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
Speaking of musical QB chairs, the Raiders were the team that fell on their keister when the music stopped. What they did do was pick the best player available on their board, which is a nice consolation prize. Now, they did take former Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer in Round 2 last year and then didn't use him all that much in 2023. And drafting a TE at the top of the first round rarely works out. In the end, though, Brock Bowers is a unique talent, and the Raiders made the best of a historically tough situation where 12 offensive players went in a row.
Now, Bowers just has to prove he's so good that he can overcome Aidan O'Connell or Gardener Minshew throwing him the ball. No pressure.
Grade: B-
14. New Orleans Saints: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
At 6-foot-6, 334 pounds, Taliese Fuaga is a mountain of a man on the right side of the line. This was a telegraphed pick for weeks, as the Saints desperately need offensive line help. Fuaga might be the best OT in this draft, too, so the Saints may have lucked out there. At worst, he went after Alt, Latham, and Fashanu, so the pressure is off from that aspect as well. Ultimately, drafting a tackle isn't sexy, but this is an excellent selection.
Grade: A-
15. Indianapolis Colts: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
The Colts take the first defensive player off the board! Getting the top player on one side of the ball at 15 is ridiculous, but that's what happened Thursday. Part of that is the way this class shook out with the incredible offensive talent, but part of it is the questionable defensive prospects as well.
Laiatu Latu could be a good player, but is he a better pass rusher than Dallas Turner or Jared Verse? Is he a better defender than Byron Murphy II or Quinyon Mitchell? Can he stay healthy after almost having to medically retire halfway through his college career? That last question is the biggest one, and why this is a risky pick in the middle of the first.
Grade: C+
16. Seattle Seahawks: DT Byron Murphy II, Texas
Byron Murphy is a bit of an undersized defensive tackle, but DTs who can explode through the line and push the pocket are becoming more and more valuable. Plus, new head coach Mike Macdonald is the coach who took Justin Madubuike on the Baltimore Ravens and turned him into a star, so getting another player like that to mold is a big deal for a first-time coach.
Grade: B+
17. Minnesota Vikings (via Jaguars): EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
Last season, the Texans came to prominence by drafting QB CJ Stroud at No. 2 and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3. Well, a year later J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner aren't quite the same ,level of talent but the Vikings are going with the same blueprint, which did work out well in 2023.
Here at 17, the Vikings obviously thought their best edge-rusher was still available, and they went up and grabbed him. This is a nice replacement for Danielle Hunter, so overall, you have to say the Vikings did a good job getting the most out of their first two Round 1 picks.
Grade: B+
18. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
The only problem Joe Burrow may have with the 6-foot-8 340-pound Amarius Mims is seeing around the enormous tackle. This is an excellent pick that fits a huge need for Cincinnati. Yes, Mims only played in 29 college games with eight starts, but in those games, he looked like an NFL OT. Despite the lack of experience, Mims is an NFL tackle, and going to the Bengals will be great for him. As a moldable player, he can play anywhere on the line that the Bengals need him, which makes this a win-win all around.
Grade: A-
19. Los Angeles Rams: EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State
Shout out Albany Great Danes! The former SUNY product Jared Verse is off the board and off to Los Angeles to play for the Rams. This is quite the run on defensive players and edge rushers now, and Verse could be the best of the bunch. The Rams jumped up and got their guy to help bolster the line after the departure of Aaron Donald.
Verse should be a longtime starter at worst and a dominant edge-rusher at best. This is a low-floor, high-ceiling pick for the Rams who seem to remember how to make first-round picks after years of not doing so.
Grade: A-
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: OL Troy Fautanu, Washington
This is a solid pick for the Steelers who need offensive line help at multiple positions. Troy Fautanu can play tackle or guard and will fit Pittsburgh's hard-nosed attitude. NFL.com says he is a “Ready-made brawler without an ounce of finesse in his game.” For my money, I'd rather have a player with similar versatility and a little more technique and finesse in Duke's Graham Barton, but this is a beauty is in the eye of the beholder pick, so you can't crush the Steelers too much for picking their guy.
Grade: B
21. Miami Dolphins: EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
This is another example of a team that must have loved as they watched offensive player after offensive player fly off the board. The Dolphins desperately need to upgrade the defense to deal with teams like the Bills and Chiefs, and beefing up the pass rush is a good step toward doing that.
While there aren't any can't-miss pass rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft class, there are a few who are significantly more promising than the rest, and Chop Robinson is the last of that group. Robinson is raw, but if he reaches his potential, he has Micah Parsons-like ability. That is well worth a pick in the 20s to see if he can reach that ceiling.
Grade: B+
22. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
The Eagles needed a cornerback and they got their favorite, and maybe the best, on the board. He's not exactly a Georgia Bulldog championship-winner as Howie Roseman seems to love, but this 6-foot, 195-pound cover man with 4.33 speed seems built for the NFL despite going to a small school. The Eagles got a heck of a player, again, thanks to the early run on offensive talent.
Grade: A
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Brown, Texans, via Vikings): WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
The Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley but replaced him with a player who may already be even better. Brian Thomas Jr. was overshadowed in this draft process by Malik Nabers, but he is an excellent WR in his own right. At 6-foot-3, 209 pounds with 4.33 speed, Thomas has No. 1 wideout written all over him and could be just what Trevor Larence needs to finally get over the hump. The only downside here is that the Jaguars are now paying a lot of money for one position. But that's not Thomas' fault.
Grade: A-
24. Detroit Lions (via Cowboys): CB Terrion Arnold
Many mock drafts had Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry going to Detroit. However, with the way the draft fell, the Lions moved up five picks and got the better ‘Bama CB in Terrion Arnold. This is a great pick, with the Lions filling their biggest need and getting arguably the best CB in the draft. Now he joins former teammate Brian Branch to make up a terrific young secondary to go with the up-and-coming offense. Watch out for Dan Campbell's squad this season.
Grade: A
25. Green Bay Packers: OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
The flipside of the offensive run early is that teams who needed offensive help are a bit out of luck later in the draft. Yes, the Packers could use a tackle, but Morgan is a bit of a reach here. Maybe the Packers couldn't have traded out, but with defensive difference-makers like Cooper DeJean and even safer offensive linemen like Graham Barton, this isn't a great pick.
Grade: C+
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OL Graham Barton, Duke
One of the toughest, smartest, most versatile offensive linemen in the draft, Duke's Graham Barton is an excellent selection here. The Buccaneers need to bulk up the offensive line to help protect Baker Mayfield and let him find playmakers like Mike Evans downfield. Barton will likely play center, replacing Ryan Jensen, and starting from Week 1. This keeps the Bucs' offense as the top unit in the lowly NFC South.
Grade: A
27. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans): DL Darius Robinson, Missouri
Is Darius Robinson a tweener or a flexible defensive lineman who can play inside or out? Historically, the Cardinals haven't been great playing tweeners, as Haason Redick and Isaiah Simmons proved. However, with Jonathan Gannon now in charge, we can give them the benefit of the doubt that they'll figure out the best way to utilize this unique player.
Grade: B-
28. Kansas City Chiefs (via Bills): WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
The last time the Bills traded back with the Chiefs, Kansas City took Patrick Mahomes. It's a little odd that the Bills would do this again to let their biggest rival get their guy, but maybe they know what many think: That if Xavier Worthy didn't run the fastest 40 time in combine history, there is no way he'd be a first-round pick.
The Chiefs need receivers, especially with Rashee Rice's uncertain legal status. In Worthy, the Chiefs surely think there's Tyreek Hill-like potential with his speed. The interesting thing is, his speed was excellent but not Cheetah-level on tape. That's what the combine does, though, and the Chiefs have earned the benefit of the doubt after a half-decade-plus of domination. And if Worthy is Hill 2.0, that domination will continue.
Grade: C+
29. Dallas Cowboys (via Lions): OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
After trading down, the Cowboys filled a major position of need with Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton. He's 6-foot-7, 322 pounds, and should be able to start on either side, with the left being his ultimate destiny. Pundits will kill Jerry Jones for trading down after the Cowboys' inactive offseason, but he picked up an extra third-round pick and still got Guyton instead of forcing a pick like the Packers did with Jordan Morgan. To me, that's making the best of a “meh” situation at the end of the first round. Good job, Jerry.
Grade: B
30. Baltimore Ravens: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
I would have liked to see what the Ravens could have done with Cooper DeJean here, but taking the more traditional cover corner in Nate Wiggins is a solid play here. While I'd like to make some waves and give the Ravens a hard time for a somewhat uninspiring pick, the truth is that the Ravens always draft well, and Wiggins will probably end up being a solid starter at worst and maybe even a Pro Bowler in purple, so a B is as low as I could go for the always-buttoned-up Baltimore.
Grade: B
31. San Francisco 49ers: WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida
Does this mean Brandon Aiyuk has played his last game in the Bay Area? This pick will ultimately be judged on what happens with the 49ers star WR down the road. That said, in a vacuum, this is a little but of a disappointing selection from Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch.
Pearsall is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none player who is best in the slot, where the 49ers have a lot of players. They are good at picking Shanahan-style wideouts, but it just seems like there are players available here — Keon Coleman, Adonai Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, Xavier Legette — who have more upside.
Grade: C+
32. Carolina Panthers (from Chiefs via Bills): WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina
The Panthers took one of the most valuable picks of the draft (No. 33) and turned it into Xavier Legette. The South Carolina pass-catcher has the tools to be a WR1, but hasn't totally shown it yet. Still, this is a good move overall for a team desperate to support last year's No. 1 pick, Bryce Young. The move may not be the smartest with what they could have got in a trade back tomorrow (and maybe still got Legette) but the pick is sound.
Grade: B-
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