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The 2024 NFL Draft concluded on Saturday, with 257 players selected from teams around the league, all with expectations for stellar careers.
A record 700,000 people attended this year's draft in Detroit, including 275,000 on the first day, breaking the previous record of 600,000 set in Nashville five years ago.
And Thursday's attendees showed more interest in quarterbacks and offensive players in general than ever before.
Between the Chicago Bears selecting USC QB Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick and the New York Jets naming Alabama safety Jalen Key their newest “Mr. Williams.” As the No. 257 pick, here's what I learned from this year's draft.
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Caleb Williams, selected by the Chicago Bears, poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
For the first time in NFL history, five quarterbacks were selected in the first 10 picks of the draft, and six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks.
Williams, as expected, was the Bears' first choice to start next season following the departure of Justin Fields.
Then, 2023 Heisman Trophy winner LSU quarterback Jaden Daniels was drafted by the Washington Commanders, and the New England Patriots drafted North Carolina's Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick and No. 3 quarterback. Nominated.
This is only the fourth time in NFL history that a signal-caller has been selected with the first three picks, but the interest didn't stop there. Michael Penix Jr., JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix were each selected by the Atlanta Falcons as the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos capped off a historic first day of the draft for quarterbacks.
In particular, the Falcons' selection of Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick was a surprise to many, including the camp of current quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the team last month. Ta.
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New Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. speaks to the media.
“We never expected this to happen. The truth is the entire league never expected this to happen,” Cousins' agent Mike McCartney said after the nomination was announced. He told NFL Network Insider's Mike Garafolo afterward. “We don't think anything of it. Kirk got a call from the Falcons with time left. That was the first time we heard about it. It never came up in the conversation.”
The next player drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 150th overall pick was South Carolina's Spencer Rattler.
The 137 picks from Thursday's first round to Saturday's fifth round set a record for the longest drought without a quarterback selected in NFL Draft history.
Interest in offensive players has been high throughout the draft, with wide receivers and offensive linemen having a particularly good few days.
According to ESPN, a record 55 linemen (28 of them offensive tackles) were selected in three days, setting a record in the seven-round draft era.
This talented wide receiver has always been in high demand and that proved to be the case. Marvin Harrison Jr., the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, was selected fourth overall by the Arizona Cardinals, making him the first of 35 total WRs drafted.
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Marvin Harrison Jr. celebrates being selected by the Arizona Cardinals.
Roma Odunze and Malik Nabors also finished in the top 10 at No. 9 from the Bears and No. 6 from the New York Giants, and four more were selected in the first round, tying the all-time record.
Among them was Xavier Worthy, who brings lightning speed to the Kansas City Chiefs' already powerful offense. The Texas WR set the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Combine history at 4.21 seconds in early March.
The news was received with gratitude by Patrick Mahomes, who reacted to the nomination with smiling and running emojis on social media platform X. The Chiefs quarterback also seemed happy with the team's second pick, BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia.
“I love Veachman!” Mahomes told X (formerly Twitter), referring to Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.
In the fourth round of the draft, Oregon's WR Troy Franklin was selected 102nd overall by the Denver Broncos, reuniting him with quarterback Nix.
This led to a flurry of pick acquisitions, with the Ducks selecting four players out of the 10 picks available. The school set a new program record with a total of eight selections, five of which were selected in only the fourth round.
After offensive players dominated the headlines on the first day of the draft, more teams started focusing on strengthening their defense starting Friday.
Defensive end Laiatu Latu was the first player selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 15 pick after a big season at UCLA, making him the latest first-defense pick ever.
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Laiatu Latu was the No. 1 defensive pick in the NFL Draft.
According to ESPN, 20 players have been drafted in the first round, the most since 2016, and defensemen have become more popular in the second round. Clemson defensive lineman Luke Oluholo will head to the Falcons first, and he was expected to target the team's defensive players. First choice.
The Philadelphia Eagles are clearly keen to strengthen their defense with new players, signing defensive back Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo, Cooper DeJean from Iowa and outside linebacker Jayrix Hunt from Houston Christian into their starting three. I chose it by nomination.
“It's really your order of preference, so when it comes to days like today, [Friday] Eagles general manager Howie Roseman told reporters: “We're going to want to go get those guys. And there are certain players that stand out. We're going to want to get them.” Ta.
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
Jalen Key has been announced as the final pick of the NFL Draft.
To close out this year's draft, the New York Jets took Jalen Key with the final pick, earning the Alabama safety the nickname “Mr. Jalen.” It's irrelevant. ”
This was the Jets' first Mr. Irrelevant selection since 1969, and Key was thrilled to be the last player drafted throughout the three-day event.
“It means everything and that's part of the title. You just have to accept it and lean into it,” Key told reporters. “For me, I'm going to work hard on every part.”
The Mr. Irrelevant tag has gained even more attention in recent years, as Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl just two years after being the final pick in the draft.
Since 1976, California has celebrated the last pick chosen with an unrelated week that includes a trip to Disneyland.
“We have some shoes to fill behind the block, but I can tell you this, we're certainly going to make something shaken up,” Key added.
