NFL.com's Lance Zierlein releases draft position rankings
We are officially in the final countdown with less than one month to go until the 2024 NFL Draft.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein recently released his ranking of the 11 position groups in this year's draft, from strongest to weakest.
Zierlein used the following criteria:
- Identified star-caliber players, future starters and overall depth
- Concentrated on prospects who are most likely to be drafted in Rounds 1 through 5
- Weighed star players and future starters twice as heavily as overall depth
Here is how the position groups ranked, along with commentary from Zierlein:
1. Offensive Tackle
"Aside from quarterback, offensive tackle is at the very top of the list as it pertains to issues with supply and demand. The position will likely be overdrafted due to demand, but this season's crop of tackles is strong both in high-end talent and depth when it comes to future quality starters. Teams' draft boards will vary, as there are several flavors of tackle to choose from, but we should see at least seven tackles picked in the first round with starters still to be found on Day 2 and quality depth lasting into the fifth round."
2. Wide Receiver
"The top of the class -- Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze -- offers star-power potential, but many teams are excited about the impressive collection of future starters that could still be available on Day 2, including Ladd McConkey, Roman Wilson, Malachi Corley, Xavier Legette, Troy Franklin and Ricky Pearsall. Day 3 will feature some prospects that still need polishing, but the starting-caliber players teams can choose from inside the top 100 picks are driving this hype train."
3. Quarterback
"Quarterbacks went back-to-back-to-back to start the draft in 2021, 1999 and 1971, but we've never seen quarterbacks chosen with each of the first four picks in the draft. We last saw four QBs picked in the top 10 in 2018. I expect we'll see four passers go in the top 10 again this year, and we might even see four selected within the first four picks. The draft is heavier on potential star power than usual (SEE: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy) but there are also potential starters in Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. While there will be good depth within the first 50 picks, the pickings should get fairly slim for teams looking for a quality backup or developmental talent beyond the second round."
4. Edge Defender
"This group has legitimate potential star power with Dallas Turner, Jared Verse, Laiatu Latuand Chop Robinson all offering distinct traits and talents for evaluators to prioritize. However, the edge rusher class is a little lighter when shifting to the future starter category beyond the "big four." I'm a fan of Austin Booker as an inexperienced wild card, while other draft analysts might favor Marshawn Kneeland or Adisa Isaac. All three could be picked on Day 2, and the drop-off in quality on Day 3 will be steep."
T-5. Cornerback
"I don't know if I consider the top of the cornerback class to be "superstar" caliber, but there will be at least two or three very good starters from the group. Players who could go late on Day 1 or early on Day 2 -- like Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Cooper DeJean and Kool-Aid McKinstry-- will go a long way in determining how we view the strength of the '24 CB class a few years from now. There is some solid Day 2 depth, with Renardo Green standing out to me. The interesting development here is that this is an unusually light cornerback class from a weight perspective. There will be talented corners getting looks inside the top 100 picks with weights in the 170s and low 180s, which are typically outliers for consideration in the first three rounds. Still, the coverage group is solid."
T-5. Interior Defensive Line
"When I look at this position, I see Byron Murphy II atop the class and then there's a gap before we get to the next-best player. Jer'Zhan Newton is a potential first-rounder. I believe the relentless motor of Braden Fiske, the dominant run stopping of T'Vondre Sweat and the wicked rush quickness of Michael Hall Jr. will all be compelling in the second round. On Day 3, Fabien Lovett Sr., Jordan Jefferson and Tyler Davis could become consistent rotational run-stoppers in the NFL."
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his updated ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.
No. 50 Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
No. 49 Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
No. 48 Maason Smith, DT, LSU
No. 47 Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
No. 46 Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan
No. 45 Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
No. 44 Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
No. 43 Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
No. 42 Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
No. 41 Payton Wilson, LB, N.C. State
No. 40 Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
No. 39 Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri
No. 38 Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State
No. 37 Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia
No. 36 Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
No. 35 Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
No. 34 Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
No. 33 Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
No. 32 Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
No. 31 Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
No. 30 Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon
No. 29 Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
No. 28 Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
No. 27 Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
No. 26 Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
No. 25 Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
No. 24 Graham Barton, IOL, Duke
No. 23 Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
No. 22 Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
No. 21 Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
No. 20 J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
No. 19 Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
No. 18 JC Latham, OT, Alabama
No. 17 Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
No. 16 Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
No. 15 Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
No. 14 Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
No. 13 Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
No. 12 Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
No. 11 Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
No. 10 Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
No. 9 Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
No. 8 Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
No. 7 Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
No. 6 Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
No. 5 Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
No. 4 Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
No. 3 Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
No. 2 Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
No. 1 Caleb Williams, QB, USC
7. Interior Offensive Line
"The strength of the interior O-line class would be drastically altered if a team were to move one of the top tackles inside, but for now, I can't assume that will happen. I expect to see Graham Barton and Jackson Powers-Johnson come off the board in the first round as centers who can also play guard, but teams will be able to go into the fourth round and maybe even Round 5 to find future starting centers this year. There may be a couple of true guards going in the second or third round, but overall, there will be more depth-level players than future starters at that spot."
T-8. Running Back
"Most of this year's backs are going to be complementary pieces rather than fantasy football studs who stack up big production. Jonathon Brooks and Jaylen Wright are my top two backs, but Brooks is returning from an ACL tear, which could muddy his draft positioning. I believe we'll see as many as six backs go inside the top 100 picks, but with no star power and average backup depth, this RB class isn't a sexy one."
T-8. Tight End
"After last year's tight end class featured multiple standouts and excellent depth, there was never a doubt this year's class would pale in comparison. If it weren't for Brock Bowers and my own favorable opinions about the pass-catching potential of Ja'Tavion Sanders, this position would have fallen below safety. After Bowers and Sanders, Cade Stover is the only other tight end who earned a solid starting grade from me. There is adequate middle-round depth available, but it won't run as deep as teams might like and there are more question marks than usual with tight ends this year."
10. Safety
"Tyler Nubin should be the consensus top safety in the class, coming off the board in the early stages of Round 2, but there may not be any star-level safeties in this year's draft. I like Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Cole Bishop to eventually become starters. Javon Bullardis more of a big nickel than a safety, so I included him with the cornerbacks in this exercise. It's going to be interesting to see where some of the bigger-bodied players and mega testers like Dominique Hampton, Ryan Watts and Tyler Owens end up going. Prospects that are big, explosive and fast tend to get pushed up the board."
11. Linebacker
"Last year, only one off-ball linebacker went in the first round and we didn't see another picked until Round 3. This year, I believe it's unlikely we'll see a linebacker taken in the top 40 picks. I gave Junior Colson, Edgerrin Cooper, Payton Wilson and Jeremiah Trotter Jr.future-starter grades, but after that group, teams will be looking at good-to-average backups. Wilson's production and testing could make him the top pick at the position, but given his injury history, teams' medical evaluations could play a big part in where he ends up."
View photos of EVERY player projected to the Giants in every round by draft analysts in mock drafts.
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas
Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Graham Barton, IOL, Duke
Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State
Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Renardo Green, CB, Florida State
Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
Adisa Isaac, EDGE, Penn State
Ruke Orhorhoro, DL, Clemson
Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan
Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon
Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee
Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
Cole Bishop, S, Utah
Brenden Rice, WR, USC
Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
Christian Mahogany, OL, Boston College
Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
Cooper Beebe, IOL, Kansas State
MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC
Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State
Josh Newton, CB, TCU
Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
Justin Eboigbe, DL, Alabama
Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Delmar Glaze, OT, Maryland
Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
Leonard Taylor III, DT, Miami
Tanner McLachlan,TE, Arizona
Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin
Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington
M.J. Devonshire, DB, Pittsburgh
Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn
Nelson Ceaser, Edge, Houston
CJ Hanson, OL, Holy Cross
Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor
Dwight McGlothern, DB, Arkansas
Blake Watson, RB, Memphis
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S, Texas Tech
Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss
Andru Phillips, DB, Kentucky
Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville
Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Purdue
Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana
NFL.com wasn't the only media outlet to release position rankings for the draft this week. Here are several other position rankings.
1. Wide Receiver
2. Offensive Tackle
3. Quarterback
4. Cornerback
5. Edge Defender
6. Defensive Tackle
7. Tight End
8. Safety
9. Linebacker
10. Center
11. Running Back
12. Guard
Wide Receiver: A+
Offensive Tackle: A
Cornerback: A
Quarterback: A-
Interior Defensive Line: B
Edge Defender: B-
Interior Offensive Line: C+
Linebacker: C+
Safety: C+
Running Back: C
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WR Jaylen Waddle - Miami Dolphins (2021)
QB Justin Herbert - Los Angeles Chargers (2020)
QB Daniel Jones - New York Giants (2019)
G Quenton Nelson - Indianapolis Colts (2018)
S Jamal Adams - New York Jets (2017)
OT Ronnie Stanley - Baltimore Ravens (2016)
DE Leonard Williams - New York Jets (2015)
OT Jake Matthews - Atlanta Falcons (2014)
DE Barkevious Mingo - Cleveland Browns (2013)
CB Morris Claiborne - Dallas Cowboys (2012)
WR Julio Jones - Atlanta Falcons (2011)
OT Russell Okung - Seattle Seahawks (2010)
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S LaRon Landry - Washington Redskins (2007)
TE Vernon Davis - San Francisco 49ers (2006)
CB Adam "Pacman" Jones - Tennessee Titans (2005)
TE Kellen Winslow - Cleveland Browns (2004)
DT Johnathan Sullivan - New Orleans Saints (2003)
DT Ryan Sims - Kansas City Chiefs (2002)
DE Richard Seymour - New England Patriots (2001)
DT Corey Simon - Philadelphia Eagles (2000)
WR Torry Holt - St. Louis Rams (1999)
DE Grant Wistrom – St. Louis Rams (1998)
OT Walter Jones – Seattle Seahawks (1997)
RB Lawrence Phillips – St. Louis Rams (1996)
DE Kevin Carter – St. Louis Rams (1995)
QB Trent Dilfer – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1994)
DE Eric Curry – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993)
QB David Klingler – Cincinnati Bengals (1992)
DT Eric Swann – Phoenix Cardinals (1991)
S Mark Carrier – Chicago Bears (1990)
LB Broderick Thomas – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1989)
WR Tim Brown – Los Angeles Raiders (1988)
QB Kelly Stouffer – St. Louis Cardinals (1987)
G Jim Dombrowski – New Orleans Saints (1986)
OT Lomas Brown – Detroit Lions (1985)
DB Mossy Cade – San Diego Chargers (1984)
OT Jim Covert – Chicago Bears (1983)
DE Jeff Bryant – Seattle Seahawks (1982)
QB Rich Campbell – Green Bay Packers (1981)
DE Curtis Greer – St. Louis Cardinals (1980)
LB Barry Krauss – Baltimore Colts (1979)
WR James Lofton – Green Bay Packers (1978)
OT Warren Bryant – Atlanta Falcons (1977)
QB Richard Todd – New York Jets (1976)
LB Robert Brazile – Houston Oilers (1975)
DT Carl Barzilauskas – New York Jets (1974)
TE Charle Young – Philadelphia Eagles (1973)
OT Greg Sampson – Houston Oilers (1972)
RB John Riggins – New York Jets (1971)
LB Steve Zabel – Philadelphia Eagles (1970)
WR Ron Sellers – Boston Patriots (1969)
DE Dennis Byrd – Boston Patriots (1968)
RB Floyd Little – Denver Broncos (1967)
K Charlie Gogolak – Washington Redskins (1966)
DT Steve DeLong – Chicago Bears/San Diego Chargers (1965)
DE Carl Eller – Minnesota Vikings (1964)
LB Lee Roy Jordan – Dallas Cowboys (1963)
T Fate Echols – St. Louis Cardinals (1962)
DB Jimmy Johnson – San Francisco 49ers (1961)
RB Jack Spikes – Pittsburgh Steelers (1960)
RB Nick Pietrosante – Detroit Lions (1959)
RB Walt Kowalczyk – Philadelphia Eagles (1958)
RB Jim Brown – Cleveland Browns (1957)
RB Joe Marconi – Los Angeles Rams (1956)
T Frank Varrichione – Pittsburgh Steelers (1955)
DB Stan Wallace – Chicago Bears (1954)
RB Billy Anderson – Chicago Bears (1953)
FB Ed Modzelewski – Pittsburgh Steelers (1952)
C Jerry Groom – Chicago Cardinals (1951)
HB/DB George Thomas – Washington Redskins (1950)
RB Bob Gage – Pittsburgh Steelers (1949)
QB Y.A. Tittle – Detroit Lions (1948)
QB Ernie Case – Green Bay Packers (1947)
RB Johnny Strzykalski – Green Bay Packers (1946)
C Frank Szymanski – Detroit Lions (1945)
HB Billy Hillenbrand – New York Giants (1944)
B Steve Filipowicz – New York Giants (1943)
B Spec Sanders – Washington Redskins (1942)
B George Franck – New York Giants (1941)
QB Doyle Nave – Detroit Lions (1940)
B Bill Osmanski – Chicago Bears (1939)
C Alex Wojciechowicz – Detroit Lions (1938)
QB Sammy Baugh – Washington Redskins (1937)
T Joe Stydahar – Chicago Bears (1936)
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LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
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