NFL Draft 2024 first round recap: Caleb Williams leads six QBs picked in record offensive first round

NFL Draft 2024 first round recap: Caleb Williams leads six QBs picked in record offensive first round

The NFL Draft is underway. Stay updated on all of the selections with Yahoo Sports.

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is in the books and it was the most offensive-heavy first round in the history of the annual player selection meeting. 23 offensive players — highlighted by 14-in-a-row to start the draft — was an all-time record.

While there was little drama with the first pick, where Caleb Williams went to Chicago, heads turned at the tail end of the top 10 when the Atlanta Falcons picked quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the most surprising pick of the night. The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract earlier this offseason.

Quarterbacks also tied a record with six of them going in the first round, matching the legendary 1983 class. All of the quarterbacks went in the top 12, culminating with Bo Nix to Denver with that 12th pick.

Next up on Friday, are rounds two and three of the NFL Draft, and the Buffalo Bills have pick No. 33 overall, and will get the draft going again at 7 p.m. ET from Detroit.

April 26 — Second and third rounds, 7 p.m. ET
April 27 — Fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds, noon ET

The 2024 NFL Draft will be broadcast live on NFL Network and also ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes.

You can stream it on ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV, Sling TV and Fubo TV.

It’s being held in the area around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit, less than a mile from Ford Field, home of the Lions.

Right here on Yahoo Sports’ 2024 NFL Draft page.

Expert Commentary: Pick No. 32 — Xavier Legette

  • Draft Grade: C+
  • Pre-Draft Rank: 76
  • School: South Carolina
  • Height: 6′ 1″
  • Weight: 221

This is a fine pick for the Panthers. They probably didn’t need to trade up, but moving up one spot to secure your guy isn’t the worst move in the world. They also needed to add a bigger player to their wide receiver room. This is solid pickup for the Panthers who really needed juice on offense.

Expert Commentary: Pick No. 31 — Ricky Persall

  • Draft Grade: D
  • Pre-Draft Rank: 85
  • School: Florida
  • Height: 6′ 1″
  • Weight: 189

Huh? This pick seems a bit out of nowhere, especially considering no one really had Pearsall going at this point in the draft. Perhaps this is the 49ers bracing for a move at wide receiver, but Pearsall could have been had later than this.

Expert Commentary: Pick No. 30 — Nate Wiggins

  • Draft Grade: B-
  • Pre-Draft Rank: 31
  • School: Clemson
  • Height: 6′ 1″
  • Weight: 173

Baltimore definitely has a need for a cornerback, but it took a bit of a project at the position at this point in the draft. Wiggins is a rangy, fast corner, but he needs to add weight and strength before he can be a real contributor for the Ravens defense.

Expert Commentary: Pick No. 29 — Tyler Guyton

  • Draft Grade: C+
  • Pre-Draft Rank: 37
  • School: Oklahoma
  • Height: 6′ 8″
  • Weight: 322

The Cowboys needed a left tackle to develop and at least have a prospect now in Guyton. He’s got a bit of a way to go as far as technique is concerned, but the physical tools and frame to grow into something for the long term are there. Guyton might have a lower floor than some of the other tackle prospects, but the upside is still here.

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