First round of NFL draft sets record for offensive players selected

A record 23 offensive players were selected in Thursday's opening round of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit, including the first 14 selections off the board -- also a record.

The previous high for offensive players picked in a draft's first 32 selections was 19. It happened in 1968, 2004 and 2009.

The 14 consecutive offensive players selected to open the draft was also a record at any point in a draft. The previous high in the first round in the common draft era was 10 consecutive offensive players selected in the 1987 draft -- picks No. 19 through No. 28.

"It's a receiver-heavy draft, there's some talented quarterbacks, just do the math," Broncos coach Sean Payton said. "... We felt like there were going to be more offensive players taken."

Thursday was also the first time four quarterbacks were selected among the first eight picks, five quarterbacks were selected among the first 10 picks and six quarterbacks were selected among the first 12 picks, and history was made on a variety of fronts. Four quarterbacks were selected among the top 10 picks in the 2018 draft, and five quarterbacks were selected among the first 12 picks of the 1999 draft.

QuarterbackCaleb Williamswas taken No. 1 by the Chicago Bears;Jayden Daniels was selected No. 2 by the Washington Commanders; and Drake Maye was selected No. 3 by the New England Patriots. In perhaps the most stunning pick of the first round, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. went No. 8 to the Atlanta Falcons.The Minnesota Vikings traded up one slot to select quarterback J.J. McCarthyat No. 10, and Bo Nix, picked No. 12 by the Denver Broncos, became the sixth quarterback off the board.

"You can see, six quarterbacks went in the first round. There's a reason," Falcons GM Terry Fontenot said. "If you see a guy at that position that you believe in, you take him."

The six quarterbacks selected tied the fabled 1983 draft, which included seven Hall of Famers overall in the first round, including three Hall of Fame quarterbacks: John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.

"We did have six quarterbacks [graded] in the first round," Broncos GM George Paton said.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., considered the top-rated player on the board by many evaluators, went No. 4 to the Arizona Cardinals. Tackle Joe Alt was the Los Angeles Chargers' pick at No. 5.

Wide receiver Malik Nabers went to the New York Giants at No. 6, tackle JC Latham to the Tennessee Titans at No. 7, and wide receiver Rome Odunze to the Bears at No. 9.

In the end, a defensive player was not selected until the Indianapolis Colts started a mini-run when they selected UCLA outside linebacker Laiatu Latu with the No. 15 pick. The Seattle Seahawks followed with Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II at No. 16, and the Vikings made their second trade of the opening round to move up to No. 17 to select Alabama outside linebacker Dallas Turner.

The eight tackles selected tied a record for the first round (2008), and the seven wide receivers also tied a first-round record (2004).