The NFL has no plans to stop being a passing league, so there should be no doubt about quarterbacks coming off the board first in the 2024 NFL Draft, which kicks off on April 25. But while presumed No. 1 pick QB Caleb Williams sits atop Dane Brugler’s top 100 prospect rankings in “The Beast, The Athletic’s annual draft guide, the top five also includes a pair of wide receivers and an offensive tackle.
Behind Williams, Brugler’s top-ranked quarterbacks are No. 4 Drake Maye (North Carolina), No. 8 Jayden Daniels (LSU) and No. 21 J.J. McCarthy (Michigan). Each could realistically be selected within the top five, but a handful of pass catchers could disrupt that run.
Wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) and Malik Nabers (LSU) are Brugler’s second- and third-ranked prospects. WR Rome Odunze (Washington) sits behind them at No. 6, followed by tight end Brock Bowers (Georgia) at No. 7, whom Brugler compared to San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle due to his size and potential. But outside of Williams, it was Harrison who received the highest praise.
Scoop City Newsletter
Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Buy
“Overall, Harrison has dominant receiving traits and can win from anywhere on the field, because of his athletic gifts, route savvy and adjustment/finishing skills at the catch point,” Brugler said about the top-ranked receiver. “He is among the best receiving prospects to enter the NFL in recent memory, and he has the dedication to his craft to be a playmaking No. 1 NFL receiver and future All-Pro.”
After No. 5 prospect OT Joe Alt (Notre Dame) is taken early in the first round, there could be a run on offensive tackles in the middle of the round, with No. 12 Olu Fashanu (Penn State), No. 13 JC Latham (Alabama), No. 17 Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State), No. 19 Amarius Mims (Georgia) and No. 24 Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma) bunched together.
As for interior offensive linemen, No. 9 Troy Fautanu (Washington) leads the way in Brugler’s rankings. After Fautanu, a run of interior lineman could come toward the end of Day 1, as No. 18 Graham Barton (Duke), No. 23 Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) and No. 29 Jordan Morgan (Arizona) are all within Brugler’s top 32.
Where are the defenders?
The top defensive prospects in Brugler’s rankings don’t appear until cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) at Nos. 10 and 11. The top-ranked edge rusher is Dallas Turner (Alabama) at No. 14, and the second-ranked edge rusher, Jared Verse (Florida State), comes in at No. 20.
After the 2023 draft featured a linebacker picked No. 3 — Will Anderson, whom Brugler had ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect — the lack of top-ranked pass rushers could represent a major change in the look of this year’s top 10. Along with Anderson, cornerback Devin Witherspoon, edge rusher Tyree Wilson and defensive tackle Jalen Carter were all picked in the top 10 in 2023.
Only two defensive tackle prospects — No. 16 Byron Murphy (Florida) and No. 28 Johnny Newton (Illinois) — received first-round grades this year from Brugler. Four defensive tackles were selected in the first round last year.
A second-round run on running backs?
Two running backs were selected in the top 12 in 2023, but by Brugler’s rankings, the 2024 draft is shaping up to look more like 2022, when no running backs heard their name called on Day 1.
The top-ranked back according to Brugler is No. 48 Jonathon Brooks (Texas). Behind him is No. 78 Blake Corum (Michigan), who could set off a Day 2 run on running backs, with No. 82 Trey Benson (Florida State), No. 84 Jaylen Wright (Tennessee), No. 91 MarShawn Lloyd (USC), No. 97 Braelon Allen (Wisconsin) and No. 98 Audric Estime (Notre Dame) all closely bunched.
A Michigan run of its own
The defending national champions are understandably sending an influx of talent to the NFL, and if Brugler’s rankings play out, the Wolverines could see a run of their own in this month’s draft.
At No. 41 is Roman Wilson, the eighth-ranked wide receiver. Behind Wilson is No. 42 Junior Colson, the top-ranked linebacker. And behind him is No. 43 Mike Sainristil, the sixth-ranked cornerback.
The Pulse Newsletter
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign up
Buy
Outside of that potential Michigan run, the Wolverines are represented in Brugler’s top 100 by the aforementioned McCarthy and Corum, along with No. 36 Kris Jenkins Jr., the third-ranked defensive tackle.
All four College Football Playoff teams — Michigan, Washington, Alabama and Texas — have six prospects apiece represented in Brugler’s top 100. Additionally, 15 of Brugler’s top 50 prospects played in the semifinal round.
What is ‘The Beast?’ And how do I read it?
“The Beast” is Dane Brugler’s annual breakdown of hundreds of NFL Draft prospects, each with detailed scouting reports. It covers everyone from superstar first-round picks to small-school, late-round gems.
Inside are 324 pages of biographical detail, film study notes, and strengths and weaknesses of future NFL players from hundreds of schools around the country.
“The Beast” is the most comprehensive draft guide available. You can read it in full here.
Required reading
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
2024-04-10 17:53:52
#Marvin #Harrison #ranked #NFL #Draft #prospect #Beast #break #early #run #QBs
