Detroit, Michigan became the epicenter of the NFL for fans and aspiring players, as the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft occurred on Thursday night. The buzz was all about the potential of five quarterbacks being chosen in the first round, a phenomenon that had never occurred before. This unprecedented event saw six quarterbacks being snapped up in the first 12 picks, setting a record for the common draft.
The night started off with some chalky picks. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Marvin Harrison Jr. were the first four selections. Even the next three picks were easy to understand. Then the Atlanta Falcons were on the clock. That’s when things took a bit of a turn and it seemed like some teams got thrown off their game a little.
NFL Draft First-Round Winners
They were looking for the best player to protect their quarterback, and they got it. Joe Alt Tackle is a beast who can play the right side, cave it down, or love the gap and play the left tackle. This guy wants to be physical, and football is in his blood from his father’s side.
Next, we have the Chicago Bears with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, who some would say won the best picks of the day. The Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles had been meticulously planning for months, and his strategy paid off. They started with four picks and two in the first nine, getting a receiver bringing young blood. Next, they got one of the much sought-after quarterbacks with #18 Caleb Williams.
The Bears already have great wide receivers, and now that you throw a great new quarterback into the mix, they are looking at a great new year. They also scored by getting Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze, running back D’Andre Swift, tight end Cole Kmet, and wide receiver DJ Moore. The Bears are setting up Williams for a successful year.
Another big winner is the Minnesota Vikings with J.J. McCarthy. Yet again, another quarterback was involved in this year’s crazy selection that Adofo-Mensah wanted. Adofo-Mensah gave up their fourth—and fifth-round picks to the Jets for a 10th-round pick for J.J. Adofo-Mensah’s gamble paid off as some forecasters saw the Vikings trying for something else, but the remarkable results speak for themselves. The Vikings are now looking at a promising future with McCarthy.
NFL Draft First-Round Losers
Those who didn’t have things go their way were the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta selected Michael Penix Jr. in the eighth round overall. This was a surprise as Atlanta seemed to be working hard before the Draft to strengthen their defense. The Falcons have seven more picks, so they could have other things in mind, as Penix should be able to do more for the team in a year or so.
Las Vegas Raiders also suffer a little as they don’t know their next quarterback. There have been some reports of their head coach, Antonio Pierce, making a solid move for Jayden Daniels or Penix, but the Falcons got him first. The Raiders do have the chance to use a second pick on the second day. They could go for their next quarterback or shoot for their 13th pick to hedge their defense. The big question is what they can get with who is available for extreme potential.
NFL Draft First-Round Wild Card
The Wild Card here is Minnesota Viking, Dallas Turner. He was the 17th player taken who seemed to wait an eternity to hear his name. He was expecting to go to Atlanta in the eighth overall choice. Indianapolis favored him, but it was no bueno. He may not have been taken because of the desire for so many offenses picked at the beginning of the draft.
