Legwold's top 100 draft prospects: Annual list of top names to know
As talent evaluators powered through their prep for the 2024 NFL draft, not one said the quarterback class was so good, so deep, it could come off the board like almost no other before it.
Yet, five days before the draft kicks off, the mock drafts, rumor mill and desperation level at the position has brought the potential -- again -- for history.
If five quarterbacks are selected among the top 12 picks this year, it will be just the second time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 (1999 was the other). And if four quarterbacks are selected this year among the top 12 picks, it will be just the fifth time since the merger.
But that's been a fairly recent shift in the league's approach to the board. Of the four times four quarterbacks have been taken among the top 12 picks, two of those have happened in the previous six drafts, and three in the previous 13 drafts.
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 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN App).
With that in mind, we present a top 100 based on grades, not position. This isn't a mock draft, but the top 100 players ranked, regardless of position.
Thanks to all who took the time to chat, answer piles of questions and put up with this annual project, including some who have put up with it for well over three decades.
Note: Best verified or electronically timed 40-yard dash time in parentheses.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State, 6-foot-3¼, 209 pounds (DNR)
Harrison is the first two-time All-American wide receiver in Ohio State history and first two-time unanimous All-America wide receiver in the Big Ten in almost three decades. He has elite route construction and high-end play speed, and he can catch the ball any place on the field.
2. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU, 5-11¾, 200 (4.42)
Nabers led the SEC in receptions for two consecutive seasons. While some will quibble with the details in his routes, his explosiveness (42-inch vertical jump at pro day), 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.
3. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia, 6-3⅛, 243 (DNR)
Bowers was the first back-to-back Mackey Award winner and fits every part of an NFL passing game. He has elite hands, body control and separation in his routes. Bowers scored 26 TDs and averaged 14.5 yards per catch over his three collegiate seasons at Georgia. He lined up all over the formation in the Bulldogs' high-powered attack and also averaged 10.2 yards per carry on 19 career rushing attempts.
4. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington, 6-2⅞, 212 (4.45)
Odunze led the FBS with 1,640 receiving yards in 2023, averaging a staggering 17.8 yards per catch. He scored 21 total TDs (20 receiving, one rushing) over his past 27 games and displays rare body control that gives him the ability to win contested catches more than any other receiver in this draft. His 32 receptions of at least 20 yards were second in the FBS only to Nabers.
Check out some of the numbers that make Washington's Rome Odunze a top-10 NFL prospect.
5. Caleb Williams, QB, USC, 6-1⅛, 214 (DNR)
Williams' improvisational skills and ability to extend plays are considered the best many scouts have seen in years. He finished his collegiate career with 120 total touchdowns and a long list of "How did he do that?" plays to go along with 14 interceptions. Williams will need to improve his decision-making when leaving the pocket (33 career fumbles) and clean up his accuracy when going deep.
6. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU, 6-3¼, 210 (DNR)
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.
7. Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame, 6-8⅝, 321 (5.05)
Alt is a two-time All-American that is a pro-ready, big-framed tackle with high-end movement skills and recovery ability. He is simply difficult to get around, even for the most talented rushers. And when he does get into trouble, his strength allows him to clean up almost any difficulties.
8. Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama, 6-2¾, 247 (4.46)
Turner is not as polished a pass-rusher as former teammate Will Anderson Jr. was heading into last year's draft, but Turner's strength is at the top of the scale, and he recorded a wide receiver-level 40-yard dash time and a 40½-inch vertical jump at the combine. He finished his career at Alabama with 23.5 sacks (11 in 2023) and 33.5 tackles for loss.
9. Jared Verse, DE, Florida State, 6-3⅞, 254 (4.58)
After transferring from Albany (where he arrived as a tight end), Verse had 18 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss in 25 games for the Seminoles. He is the full package of relentlessness and savvy and a walk-in starter who will catch on quickly, especially against more physical NFL offensive tackles.
10. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama, 5-11¾, 189 (4.50)
If you talk to NFL secondary coaches, there are few safer bets than Crimson Tide defensive backs. Their technique is routinely at the top of the scale. Add in the ability/work ethic it takes to simply start for Alabama, and you have a player NFL defenses covet. Arnold has smooth footwork, always competes to win the play and finds the ball. He had five interceptions and 17 pass breakups in 2023.
Check out some of the top highlights from Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold.
11. Laiatu Latu, OLB, UCLA, 6-4¾, 259 (4.64)
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 possess.
12. Chop Robinson, OLB, Penn State, 6-2⅞, 254 (4.48)
Any player who weighs more than 250 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in under 4.5 seconds is going to attract attention. Robinson is just beginning to find himself as a player, so he has room to grow. His game is raw -- his season high for sacks was 5.5 in 2022 -- but his flexibility, speed to the corner and physicality give away the top-tier rusher in there.
13. JC Latham, T, Alabama, 6-5¾, 342 (DNR)
There are rough edges in his footwork at times, especially if he isn't fine-tuned in his sets in pass protection, but he scatters defenders when he gets it right. Latham's strength and dominances makes for a powerful punch against the rush. Crimson Tide coaches had him for 41 knockdown blocks in 13 games.
14. Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas, 6-0½, 297 (4.87)
Murphy is an interior rusher who consistently wins on the first step and disrupts things at the point of attack. He had 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks and routinely bottled things up inside. Murphy will be coveted by teams because he projects as a three-down player who can line up in a variety of spots across the defensive front. He also scored a receiving and a rushing touchdown this past season.
15. Taliese Fuaga, T, Oregon State, 6-5¾, 324 (5.13)
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.
16. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo, 6-0⅛, 195 (4.33)
Mitchell was easily the most aggressive cornerback at the Senior Bowl as he enthusiastically challenged receivers at the line. He has everything defensive coordinators want: size, speed, physicality, composure and assertive tackling. He had a four-interception game in 2022 and returned two of those for touchdowns as he led the Mid-American Conference in passes defended in 2022 and 2023, with 19 and 18, respectively.
17. Troy Fautanu, T/G, Washington, 6-3¾, 317 (5.01)
Fautanu started 29 games at left tackle and two at left guard in his career with the Huskies. Some see a move to guard because of the raw physicality in his game and what some personnel evaluators see as difficulties against bigger pass-rushers. But offensive line coaches really like his attitude, aptitude and rugged demeanor.
18. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, T, Penn State, 6-6, 312 (5.11)
Penn State coaches graded Fashanu as not having allowed a sack in his 29 career games -- more than 700 pass-blocking snaps. He could physically overwhelm most defenders he faced each week, but there is work to do to smooth out his footwork. His size, ability to recover to save plays and willingness to put in the work give him a chance to be a quality left tackle.
Check out the highlights from Penn State offensive lineman Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
19. Amarius Mims, T, Georgia, 6-7¾, 340 (5.07)
Mims has an abbreviated résumé 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 (arm span of 86¾ inches gave him the biggest reach at the combine). 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 wo
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4 of May 2024
