Results From Round One of the 2024 NFL Draft

Detroit, MI - Welp, this historic NFL Draft was one for the ages. In the first 12 draft picks, we saw six quarterbacks find their new homes. We have not witnessed anything like this in recent years. The 1983 class was the last time we saw anything similar to this, with so many quarterbacks taken so early. Through the first 14 draft picks, we did not see a defensive player selected. This was the first time in NFL history that this scenario occurred. Another historic stat occurred, through the first 21 draft picks, there were zero cornerbacks selected. The first time this century that has occurred. To conclude Round One, there were 23 offensive players selected, which broke the previous mark of 19 set, most recently, in 2009. 

Now, to compare the results from Round One to my final mock draft, I correctly selected 24/32 first-round picks. To be specific, I correctly picked nine direct hits with the addition of four more if you count players to either go to a certain team but the wrong pick or I predicted a player to be drafted at the correct number but to a different team. It’s hard to imagine that anybody could predict the madness that occurred. The first four picks (Williams, Daniels, Maye, and Harrison Jr.) went as expected. These four athletes should prosper with their new teams. I expected the Minnesota Vikings to trade up to the fifth spot to draft J.J. McCarthy, but instead, they traded up to the 10th spot to draft McCarthy. Does this count as a correct pick for my mock draft? I’ll let you decide.

The most surprising pick of the night has to go to the Atlanta Falcons. Nobody, at least in their right mind, expected Michael Penix Jr to be selected with the eighth overall pick. I thought it was going to be a sure deal that Dallas Turner would end up there. Instead, Turner fell down all the way to the Vikings, trading up to get him at pick 17. Bo Nix was also a rather surprising pick, going to the Denver Broncos at pick 12. Sean Payton has never drafted a quarterback in the first round, Nix is his first.  

With the amount of quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks, it really shook up the rest of the draft. Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player drafted, finding his new home with the Indianapolis Colts. In my mock draft, I had him outside of the first round due to his health issues. With Latu having to medically retire from football at one point in his career, I felt he was too much of a risk. I will say that I am proud of my prediction of Byron Murphy II going to the Seattle Seahawks at pick 16. A lot of experts predicted that they would select an offensive lineman, but I really liked what I saw with Murphy, and he is a great fit for the Seahawks.

Quinyon Mitchell was the first corner to be taken off the board when he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles at pick 22. I had him to be selected much earlier (pick 12), but the Eagles found an absolute gem. Again, I correctly predicted Brian Thomas Jr to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but I had him selected at pick 17 instead of pick 23. I’ll let you be the judge if that still counts as a correct pick or not.

At pick 25, I expected the Green Bay Packers to go with an offensive lineman, even considering they need a big-time cornerback. They selected Jordan Morgan out of Arizona and the Packers faithful were not happy with this pick. I predicted that he would fall to the San Francisco 49ers, but the Packers grabbed him before they had the chance. Instead, the 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall out of Florida with the 31st pick. With the 49ers wide receiver core nearing the end of their contracts, they have secured their future in Pearsall. 

I’m not sure what the Bills were thinking when they allowed the Kansas City Chiefs to trade up to grab Xavier Worthy with pick 28. For the third time, I predicted Worthy to go to the Bills at pick 28, but instead, he went to the Chiefs with the pick. Again, does this count as a correct prediction? Immediately, with the next selection, the Dallas Cowboys selected Tyler Guyton at pick 29, due to trading back. For the fourth time, I predicted a player to either go to a certain team but the wrong pick or I predicted a player to be drafted at the correct number but to a different team. 

In my opinion, Nate Wiggins was the absolute steal of the draft based on where and when he was selected. I had predicted him to fall to the Los Angeles Rams at pick 19, but at pick 30, the Baltimore Ravens are more than pleased to add him to their roster. Wiggins is an absolute warrior who will never give up on a play. With the final selection of the First Round, the Carolina Panthers traded up on the spot with the Buffalo Bill to select Xavier Legette. As a Panthers fan, I am not happy with this draft pick when Adonai Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, and Cooper DeJean were all available.