Zach Godsey
Caleb Willaims is a capable playmaker who leads the race for the No. 1 overall draft pick.
As the 2024 NFL draft starts to draw nearer, many NFL fans, especially those whose teams have struggled in this past season, are wondering who leads the race for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 draft. The most blatant No. 1 option is the University of Southern California’s (USC) quarterback, Caleb Williams. Williams has been a consistent big-play maker for the last three years at USC. He can run the ball in on his own while also throwing a seamless deep ball. His ability to improvise and make a play off of the script is highly praised and demonstrates his readiness for the NFL. While his nine fumbles in this most recent season raised concerns about his ability to protect the ball and take hits, his overall track record with ball security has been strong. He is one of the strongest draft prospects since Joe Burrow in 2020 and Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
While Caleb Williams is the obvious answer, I’d like to highlight a few other standout players who are also invaluable. Others have shown enormous upside, such as Marvin Harrison Jr., son of former Colts legend Marvin Harrison Sr., who is a star wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He earned the 2023 “Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year” and was just the third wide receiver ever to win the award. Standing at 6’4”, 200 pounds, he is surprisingly nimble with flawless route running and technique. His hands are of WR1 caliber, and his body control allows him to make the catch in the toughest situations.
Another top prospect is North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. Maye has shown that his arm potential is at the NFL level, slinging hard throws with speed and accuracy. He is a pure and smooth pocket passer who will fit into most franchises without a problem. Right now, he is the only one of these three draft prospects to have formally declared for the 2024 NFL draft. However, it looks increasingly likely that Caleb Williams will declare soon as well. Marvin Harrison Jr. appears to be undecided at the moment, still waiting to see whether he will look to take his career to the next level in the NFL.
Given all this talk about the No. 1 overall draft prospect, it raises the question: what team would this player most likely go to? At the moment, it looks as if the Bears will have the No. 1 overall draft pick for the 2024 draft. While they took quarterback Justin Fields just three years ago with the 11th overall pick, he has yet to show that he is a good fit for the Bears. They have also struggled at the quarterback position with Mitchell Trubisky, who was replaced as well. This has led to many consecutive disappointing seasons for the Bears, as they once again find themselves at the top of the draft order. However, maybe all that they need is a big-time playmaker who can step up and make a change in the team for the better, leading them to a successful season.
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