The NFL has no plans to stop being a passing league, so there should be no doubt that quarterbacks will come off the board first in the 2024 NFL Draft, which begins on the 25th. april. But although the presumptive No. 1 pick, QB Caleb Williams, is atop Dane Brugler’s Top 100 prospect rankings in “The Beast, AthleticismIn ‘s annual draft guide, the top five also includes a pair of wide receivers and an offensive tackle.
Behind Williams, Brugler’s highest-ranked quarterbacks are No. 4 Drake Maye (North Carolina), No. 8 Jayden Daniels (LSU) and No. 21 JJ McCarthy (Michigan). Each could realistically be selected in the top five, but a handful of pass catchers could disrupt that race.
Receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) and Malik Nabers (LSU) are Brugler’s second and third prospects. WR Rome Odunze (Washington) sits behind them at No. 6, followed by tight end Brock Bowers (Georgia) at No. 7, who Brugler compared to San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle because of his size and potential. But aside from Williams, it was Harrison who received the highest praise.
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“Overall, Harrison has dominant receiving characteristics and can win anywhere on the field, due to his athletic gifts, route awareness and fit/finish skills at the catch point” , Brugler said of the top-ranked receiver. “He is among the best receiving prospects to enter the NFL in recent memory, and he has the dedication to his craft to become a No. 1 receiver in the NFL and a future All-Pro.”
After No. 5 OT prospect Joe Alt (Notre Dame) was selected early in the first round, there could be a series of offensive tackles in the middle of the round, with No. 12 Olu Fashanu (Penn State), No. 13 JC. Latham (Alabama), No. 17 Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State), No. 19 Amarius Mims (Georgia) and No. 24 Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma) grouped together.
As for interior offensive linemen, No. 9 Troy Fautanu (Washington) tops Brugler’s rankings. After Fautanu, a series of interior linemen could take place near the end of the first day, as No. 18 Graham Barton (Duke), No. 23 Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) and No. 29 Jordan Morgan (Ariz.) are all in the Brugler zone. top 32.
Where are the defenders?
The top defensive prospects in Brugler’s rankings don’t appear until cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) come in at 10th and 11th. The top edge rusher is Dallas Turner (Alabama) at 14th, and second-ranked Jared Verse (Florida State) comes in at 20th.
After the 2023 draft featured a linebacker picked No. 3 — Will Anderson, who Brugler had ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect — the lack of top-ranked passers could represent a major change in the look of the top 10 of this year. Along with Anderson, cornerback Devin Witherspoon, edge rusher Tyree Wilson and defensive tackle Jalen Carter were all top-10 picks in 2023.
Only two defensive tackle prospects – No. 16 Byron Murphy (Florida) and No. 28 Johnny Newton (Illinois) – received first-round grades from Brugler this year. Four defensive tackles were selected in the first round last year.
A run in the second round against the running backs?
Two running backs were selected in the top 12 in 2023, but based on Brugler’s rankings, the 2024 draft is shaping up more like 2022, when no running back heard his name called the first day.
The highest-ranked guard according to Brugler is No. 48 Jonathon Brooks (Texas). Behind him is No. 78 Blake Corum (Michigan), who could start a second-day run against the running backs, along with No. 82 Trey Benson (Florida State), No. 84 Jaylen Wright (Tennessee) , No. 91 MarShawn Lloyd (USC), No. 97 Braelon Allen (Wisconsin) and No. 98 Audric Estime (Notre Dame) are all closely grouped together.
A Michigan in its own right
The reigning national champions are naturally sending an influx of talent to the NFL, and if Brugler’s rankings hold true, the Wolverines could have a run of their own in this month’s draft.
At No. 41 is Roman Wilson, the eighth wide receiver. Behind Wilson is Junior Colson, No. 42, the top-ranked linebacker. And behind him is No. 43 Mike Sainristil, the sixth-ranked cornerback.
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Outside of that potential run at Michigan, the Wolverines are represented in Brugler’s top 100 by the aforementioned McCarthy and Corum, as well as No. 36 Kris Jenkins Jr., the third defensive tackle.
The four College Football Playoff teams – Michigan, Washington, Alabama and Texas – each have six prospects represented in Brugler’s top 100. Additionally, 15 of Brugler’s top 50 prospects played in the semifinals.
What is “The Beast”? And how to read it?
“The Beast” is Dane Brugler’s annual breakdown of hundreds of NFL draft prospects, each with detailed scouting reports. He covers everyone from superstar first-round picks to small-school and late-round gems.
Inside are 324 pages of biographical details, film study notes and the strengths and weaknesses of future NFL players from hundreds of schools across the country.
“The Beast” is the most comprehensive draft guide available. You can read it in full here.
Required reading
(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)