2024 Post-Combine NFL Prospect Overview: Offense
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
March 9, 2024
We're at an interesting spot in the NFL off-season, just ahead of the start of free agency. Many NFL team needs will shift considerably over the next week. But look at what has happened so far: cornerbacks getting paid and safeties getting cut.
It's all about the passing game in the modern NFL.
Here's a look at how things stand with the top 2024 NFL Draft prospects on offense, with the 2024 NFL Combine in the rearview mirrior and less than two months to go to opening night. I'll go over the defensive prospects in another column.
There are four quarterbacks who appear likely to be drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft: Caleb Williams (Southern Cal), Jayden Daniels (LSU), Drake Maye (North Carolina), and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan). Bo Nix (Oregon) is a possibility, particularly if an interested team can trade into a late first-round spot to secure that fifth-year option.
Teams with elite quarterbacks under rookie deals tend to flourish, with considerably more options as far as cap space goes in many cases.
Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), Spencer Rattler (South Carolina) and Michael Pratt (Tulane) all have potential to be day two QB selections.
It seems unlikely that a running back will go in round one this year. It could happen with Jonathon Brooks (Texas) if a RB-needy team really likes him and has a late first to use.
Other top RB prospects include Blake Corum (Michigan), MarShawn Lloyd (Southern Cal), Ray Davis (Kentucky), and Audric Estime (Notre Dame).
This draft is stacked at wide receiver. Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State), Malik Nabers (LSU), and Rome Odunze (Washington) all seem like viable potential Top 10 picks.
Xavier Legette (South Carolina) has been surging up draft boards. There are so many potential first-rounders, to the point that supply-and-demand will inevitably create some bargains at WR near the top-half of round two.
Other names to watch at WR include Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU), Ladd McConkey (Georgia), Keon Coleman (Florida State), Xavier Worthy (Texas), Jermaine Burton (Alabama), and Troy Franklin (Oregon).
At tight end, Brock Bowers (Georgia) will get the bulk of the headlines, a true unicorn prospect with special skills that allow him to play the position in ways most others can't. Bowers might be the only tight end to go in round one, with Ja'Tavion Sanders (Texas) also a possibility as a late first-rounder.
Offensive tackle is very strong in this draft. Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State), Joe Alt (Notre Dame), and Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State) could all go in the Top 10. There's not much of a drop-off from there with Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma), Amarius Mims (Georgia), and JC Latham (Alabama) all looking like possible first-round selections.
You can go on and on with it: Kingsley Suamataia (BYU), Jordan Morgan (Arizona), Patrick Paul (Houston), Dominick Puni (Kansas), Kiran Amegadjie (Yale), Christian Jones (Texas), Sataoa Laumea (Utah), and Roger Rosengarten (Washington) might all be gone by the conclusion of day two of the draft.
At offensive guard, Troy Fautanu (Washington) appears most likely to be drafted on night one out of the group. Zak Zinter (Michigan), Christian Haynes (UConn), Cooper Beebe (Kansas State), and Javion Cohen (Miami) will also be in contention, likely being selected between rounds 2-4.
There is some overlap as far as interior offensive line prospects go, but with the centers it looks like Graham Barton (Duke) and Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) as potential late-first round selections. Zach Frazier (West Virginia), Hunter Nourzad (Penn State), and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (Georgia) are other centers who should be in contention for day two consideration.
2024 NFL Draft Prospects (Big List)
