Welcome to the madness of March…
No, not that March Madness…NFL Draft season is upon us now that the NFL Combine has been completed and we await player Pro Days. The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine gave us a good look at how some of these top prospects look and move and man, this is an ultra-athletic class.
With that being said, lets jump into how we ranked the Top-50 prospects in this years Draft post-Combine:
1. Marvin Harrison Jr. – WR – Ohio State
The majority of Big Boards you’ll see have Caleb Williams in the number one spot; Which is hard to disagree with. They’re both super competitive, athletic, and smart players. But when a handful of NFL scouts tout a player as ‘the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson’ It makes it difficult for me to make him #2.
2. Caleb Williams – QB – USC
Quarterbacks run the draft. It’s been that way forever and I have a feeling it will stay that way this year with quarterback being the position projected to be taken with the first three picks in this year’s Draft. Caleb Williams, in my opinion, is the best among them. Yes, he still has some polishing to do with his game but he is already and elite improviser. He can throw from any arm slot you ask him to and can find a moving target 60 yards downfield. With those traits, you can see why some compare him to KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
3. Rome Odunze – WR – Washington
I had to argue this with a ton of people through this process but I truly think Odunze is as polished of a receiver you’re going to find. The Huskies standout was the smoothest and most calculated route runner all throughout the year. I felt that he was overlooked this year by the media in 2024; Understandable considering his counterparts (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers). You want electricity? Explosion? Odunze is the guy.
4. Brock Bowers – TE – Georgia
Bowers is the best tight end in this class. Far and away from anyone else at the position. The NFL has been getting excited for this guy for 3 years now and I can’t seem him falling out of the top-15. I say 15 because even though I do have Bowers at 4, the value for tight end in the first round has dipped a bit in the past few years. Bowers could be an exception, however.
5. Joe Alt – OT – Notre Dame
Alt, with limited play at tackle, is such an exciting prospect to project. Because with that limited play at the position, Alt has shined. The 6’8″ 321 lbs tackle moves very well for his size considering he used to play tight end.
6. Drake Maye – QB – UNC
The QB rankings have been all over the place and no one has really come to a consensus yet on where to rank the top 3. With that being said, 6 is a fair spot for the Tar Heel signal caller. Maye will be a starter as soon as he steps on the field for whichever team he’s drafted by. While he did not throw at the Combine, his tape looks matured, but not fully polished. Maye is going to be a fun prospect to follow throughout the rest of the process.
7. Jayden Daniels – QB – LSU
Jayden Daniels had one of the most unimpressive Heisman campaigns in the last decade. While deserving, he may be overrated by a bit in the latest mocks you’ve seen. With that, he is still a starting quarterback in the National Football League and there are some extremely QB needy teams at the top of the Draft and Daniels will likely be taken by one of them. Some experts even as him as the first selection in the Draft, which would not come as a shock.
8. Malik Nabers – WR – LSU
2 LSU Tigers in a row and when it comes to this Big Board they’re interchangeable for me. I think Nabers has the talent to go in the first 5 picks. His route running does need some ironing out and the footwork is not perfect. The thing with Nabers though, they’re all coachable problems. Nabers can be the center of a game plan in the NFL with the careful coaching of professionals.
9. Olu Fashanu – OT – Penn State
Fashanu is another name that’s been all over the place in Big Boards and some have moved him far enough to be ranked as the 3rd or 4th ranked offensive lineman. I still think he’s the 2nd best in the class and has the chance to be the best to come out of it. Fashanu has the experience, explosiveness, and footwork to be a top-10 offensive lineman in the league in the next coming years. It’s another case that comes down to NFL coaching.
10. Taliese Fuaga – OT – Oregon State
Fuaga has had a quiet rise into my top-10. After diving back into his film, Fuaga has all of the tools. He’s really strong in pass pro, and can maul in run blocking. One thing that is really unique to Fuaga: he plays like someone who can make sense of any pro scheme. Any team that drafts him should be really happy with what they’re getting.
11. Cooper DeJean, SAF/CB, Iowa
12. Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
13. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
14. Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
15. Troy Fautanu, OG, Washington
16. Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
17. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
18. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
19. Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
20. Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
21. Braden Fiske, DL, Florida State
22. Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
23. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
24. JC Latham, OT, Alabama
25. JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan
26. Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
27. Jackson Powers-Johnson, iOL, Oregon
28. Zach Frazier, iOL, West Virginia
29. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
30. Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
31. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
32. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
33. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
34. Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas
35. Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
36. Darius Robinson, DE, Missouri
37. Adisa Isaac, DE, Penn State
38. Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
39. Tyler Nubin, SAF, Minnesota
40. Marshawn Lloyd, RB, USC
41. Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
42. T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
43. Graham Barton, iOL, Duke
44. Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
45. Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington
46. Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
47. Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
48. TJ Tampa, DB, Iowa State
49. Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
50. Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
