Longtime draft expert Jeff Legwold picks this year's top prospects. In 2023, 78 of his picks were selected in the top 100.
Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987., not one said the quarterback class was so good, so deep, it could come off the board like almost no other before it.
Suddenly the league wants to take a shot on quarterbacks as much as every fan who is desperate for an elite signal caller would like them to. And that will be the biggest storyline Thursday , speed and toughness far outweigh anything else. His 34 receptions of 20-plus yards in 2023 led the country.Check out the highlights that make Malik Nabers one of the best wide receivers in the 2024 NFL draft class.
Daniels threw 40 TD passes and four interceptions in his 2023 Heisman Trophy-winning season, averaging a FBS-high 11.7 yards per attempt. He also rushed for 1,184 yards and 10 TDs last season. Daniels' slight frame might concern some teams, especially since he doesn't shy away from contact. But he plays with awareness, possesses high-end decision-making skills and maintains consistent accuracy all over the field. Some NFL personnel executives have Daniels graded as high as Williams.
How soon Latu hears his name called will likely depend on each team's medical staff. He had spinal fusion surgery when he was at Washington and said he was told to not play football again. But, he had no issues over his past two seasons with the Bruins, compiling 23 sacks and winning the Lombardi and Ted Hendricks awards in 2023. Latu's game is advanced with quality handwork, snap-to-whistle competitiveness and an assortment of countermoves far larger than most NFL rookies.
Fuaga started 25 games at right tackle over the past two seasons. Many offensive line coaches see him as technically proficient in pass protection and run blocking, but he has some rough edges that need smoothing. While some might think about moving him to guard, his pass protection skills deserve a longer look at tackle. He's smooth out of his stance into his sets and skillful with his hands as he mirrors the rushers.
Mims has an abbreviated resume compared to other tackles on the board -- playing seven games with six starts in his career with the Bulldogs -- but his combination of size and ability is rare . He had surgery to repair an ankle injury in 2023 and returned to play the last three games of the regular season. A bit of a projection at this point, but he has the potential to play either tackle spot and his work against some of the SEC's best on the edge showed proficiency worthy of a Day 1 pick.
Maye will likely be off the board well before this pick rolls around. His physical profile in the pocket is among the best of the QBs in this class. His arm strength is not a question -- he threw 62 touchdown passes over the past two seasons -- but his accuracy has drifted at times, especially this past season. Maye doesn't always decode where the openings are in coverages and will have to find the line between bold and bad, but his biggest supporters see Justin Herbert-level potential.
While McKinstry had a Jones fracture in his right foot that prohibited him from participating at the combine, he did run at his pro day March 20 and had surgery to repair the fracture two days later. Teams believe he will be ready to participate at some point in training camp. McKinstry rarely makes assignment errors, plays with composure and his technique and savvy make him a good fit in a variety of defenses. He is also one of the better punt returners in the draft.
One of the best interior pass-rushers on the board with 22.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks over the past two seasons combined. He had more than 100 pressures over those two seasons and personnel executives say that is the most of any interior linemen in this draft. He had surgery in January to repair a fracture in his foot so he did not participate in workouts at the combine or Illinois' pro day.
Morgan produced high-quality work this past season after a right ACL tear with three games remaining in 2022. He plays with sound footwork and rare flexibility in his lower body. He'll need to play with a bit more power as a pro and clean up his hand placements, but he projects as a starting left tackle.
While some might be bothered Sanders isn't better at run-blocking, it's hard to pass on a guy who can challenge a defense at every level in the passing game. He had one fewer reception of at least 20 yards this season than Bowers. He has great speed, makes plays in traffic, and if he continues to smooth out the rough edges in some of his routes, he will produce in the NFL.
Franklin is a smooth route runner with top-end acceleration who set a school record this past season for yards receiving , receiving touchdowns and 100-yard receiving games -- each of those totals were more than his first two seasons combined. He will likely have some rough spots early when he has to deal with more physical NFL defensive backs. Franklin doesn't always win enough of the contested catches, but he will consistently threaten defenses with his speed.
In every draft there are a handful of players who beg the question: why didn't he get more snaps? Wright is one of those players with ridiculous workout numbers , a career 6.2 yards per attempt average and the potential to have far more impact in the passing game. Wright has put the ball on the ground at times; he had four fumbles in 2022.
Fiske's pedal-to-the-metal style will make him a player who defensive line coaches will pound the table for during draft weekend. He is undersized but unbowed in his pursuit of the ball. He routinely gets out of his stance before his blockers -- with nine tackles for loss and six sacks in 2023 . Lassiter's timed speed is a concern -- some scouts had him at 4.58/4.59 hand timed in the 40 at his pro day -- but he's productive from snap to whistle. He led the Bulldogs' defense in pass breakups in 2023, is technically sound, aggressive in coverage and a quality tackler. A zone-heavy scheme might be a better fit for him or some safety responsibilities, but he's a bottom-line ballplayer who will find a way to get on the field.
Evaluators will have to decide if the stopwatch or play speed tips scales for Coleman. He's a contested catch king and it's easy to see the talent that made him a two-sport guy at Michigan State . His 40 time at the combine was ho-hum, but his GPS readings in the position drills were elite. He also averaged 12 yards per punt return in 2023.
Abrams-Draine began his career at Missouri as a receiver -- five games as a freshman -- and that comfort level when the ball is in the air can be seen in his play as a defender. He had 40 passes defensed and seven interceptions in his career. He'll now battle bigger, more physical receivers, but there's plenty of potential.
Orhorhoro is a powerfully built interior player whose best football is ahead of him. He explodes out of his stance and is quick to put blockers at a disadvantage. His 12 career sacks -- nine of those over the last two seasons -- aren't going to get the double take, but the potential is there in the right hands.
Hall should have immediate impact as an interior pass-rusher in nickel packages and could develop into far more if he finds a little more strength. He shined at Senior Bowl practices, where he was consistently quick off the ball to defeat single blocks. Evaluators didn't always see that kind of impact in his game video, but potential is there.
The quality of Bullock's play might have been hidden in the Trojans' struggles on defense. That said, some scouts are troubled by his inconsistency as a tackler in the run game. Bullock's misses often turned into big plays. But in coverage he has good range, can handle man-to-man and always looks to break up plays. Had nine interceptions in 39 career games.
Trice will appeal more to the sacks-aren't-everything part of the evaluation. While his 16 sacks over the past two seasons aren't among the leaders on the draft board, few, if any players, create as much pressure snap after snap. He didn't miss any of the Huskies' 40 games over the past three seasons.
Carson missed time with injuries in each of the past three seasons. He plays with a physical edge and is aggressive in rerouting and challenging receivers at the line of scrimmage. He was credited with 29 pass breakups in 36 career games. Before Alt arrived, Fisher was the first true freshman to start at left tackle for the Irish. He suffered a knee injury in the opening half of the first game that caused him to miss most of the season. He was a staple at right tackle after that. He is a gifted player who needs plenty of work to make the most of it. His talent is rare, but his footwork and hand placement need work and the right coach to do it.
Hicks had two 70-tackle seasons in his two years as a starter with 10 pass breakups combined in those seasons. He needs refinement, but will"run the alley'' close to the line of scrimmage in run support and finish with authority. Couple that with what he has shown in coverage, especially against tight ends, and he could be a quick fit.
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