Full NFL Draft 2024 Rounds 2 and 3 picks: Expert analysis, grades and reaction

Sean Payton plopped down in a rental car filled with other Broncos coaches and scanned the faces inside.

The group had just wrapped up a private workout with quarterback Bo Nix in Eugene, Ore., in March, and Payton didn’t hide his enthusiasm about what he had just witnessed.

“I just looked around (the car) and said, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Payton said.

Over the course of 80 passes and the meeting before he took the field, Nix had confirmed everything Payton, general manager George Paton and other team evaluators saw as they dug into the tape and did the background work necessary for the weighty decision of drafting a franchise quarterback.

Accuracy. Quick release. Arm strength. Size. Intelligence.

The Broncos had loaded Nix down with a cache of information at 5 p.m. the day before they were set to meet at 9 a.m. When Nix began spitting back the install, Payton said he was convinced the quarterback had “spent the (previous) night in a hotel room with the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, the coffee on.”

There was more work to be done when the group touched down in Denver, but the Broncos began to believe they had found their new quarterback.

Five weeks after he watched the Broncos drive away, Nix picked up the phone Thursday night as it rang with a 303 area code. He was going to Denver, the 12th pick in the draft that featured a record run on quarterbacks. Nix was the sixth signal caller selected in the first round, marking the first time in the modern draft era that many players at the position had gone that quickly.

“I had an idea because they showed interest,” Nix said when asked during a conference call Thursday whether he thought Denver would be his draft-day destination. “They came out to Eugene; they had some Zooms and all that stuff. To be honest with you, you never know until you get the phone call and you hear your name called on TV. I just can’t say how excited I am to be a part of this organization.”

The Broncos have only drafted a quarterback higher than the 12th pick once, when they drafted Jay Cutler in 2006. Nix is the first quarterback drafted by Denver in the opening round since 2016, when former general manager John Elway traded up to draft Paxton Lynch.

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The NFL will play its first game in Brazil this season when the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers meet in Sao Paolo on Friday, Sept. 6.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said before Thursday's draft that he anticipates the league's international expansion to continue.

“I honestly think we’ll be playing 16 games internationally if you go 10 years out,” Goodell told ESPN, according to the Associated Press. “I think we’ll try to get to eight or nine in the next couple years.”

The NFL has five international games on the 2024 schedule — three in England, one in Germany and the Brazil game.

The third-round order:

• 65. Carolina Panthers
• 66. Arizona Cardinals
• 67. Washington Commanders
• 68. New England Patriots
• 69. Los Angeles Chargers
• 70. New York Giants
• 71. Arizona Cardinals (from Tennessee)
• 72. New York Jets
• 73. Dallas Cowboys (from Detroit through Minnesota)
• 74. Atlanta Falcons
• 75. Chicago Bears
• 76. Denver Broncos
• 77. Las Vegas Raiders
• 78. Washington Commanders (from Seattle)
• 79. Atlanta Falcons (from Jacksonville)
• 80. Cincinnati Bengals
• 81. Seattle Seahawks (from New Orleans through Denver)
• 82. Indianapolis Colts
• 83. Los Angeles Rams
• 84. Pittsburgh Steelers
• 85. Cleveland Browns
• 86. Houston Texans (from Philadelphia)
• 87. Dallas Cowboys
• 88. Green Bay Packers
• 89. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 90. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)
• 91. Green Bay Packers (from Buffalo)
• 92. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Detroit)
• 93. Baltimore Ravens
• 94. San Francisco 49ers
• 95. Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City)
• 96. Jacksonville Jaguars (compensatory pick)
• 97. Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory pick)
• 98. Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory pick, from Philadelphia)
• 99. Los Angeles Rams (compensatory pick)
• 100. Washington Commanders (compensatory pick, from San Francisco)

The second-round order:

• 33. Buffalo Bills (from Carolina)
• 34. New England Patriots
• 35. Arizona Cardinals
• 36. Washington Commanders
• 37. Los Angeles Chargers
• 38. Tennessee Titans
• 39. Carolina Panthers (from New York Giants)
• 40. Washington Commanders (from Chicago)
• 41. Green Bay Packers (from New York Jets)
• 42. Houston Texans (from Minnesota)
• 43. Atlanta Falcons
• 44. Las Vegas Raiders
• 45. New Orleans Saints (from Denver)
• 46. Indianapolis Colts
• 47. New York Giants (from Seattle)
• 48. Jacksonville Jaguars
• 49. Cincinnati Bengals
• 50. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)
• 51. Pittsburgh Steelers
• 52. Los Angeles Rams
• 53. Philadelphia Eagles
• 54. Cleveland Browns
• 55. Miami Dolphins
• 56. Dallas Cowboys
• 57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 58. Green Bay Packers
• 59. Houston Texans
• 60. Buffalo Bills
• 61. Detroit Lions
• 62. Baltimore Ravens
• 63. San Francisco 49ers
• 64. Kansas City Chiefs

The Vikings found their quarterback of the future. Once Kirk Cousins departed in free agency, signing with the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota set its sights on finding a young player that coach Kevin O’Connell believed in and could groom. J.J. McCarthy is that guy.

The Vikings are planning to take a methodical approach to his development. That’s why they signed Sam Darnold for $10 million. How long McCarthy needs to sit and learn is likely dependent both on his training camp performance and Darnold’s overall command.

Depth-chart impact

The Vikings’ depth chart was always set up to add a young quarterback. Darnold and Nick Mullens are likely fixtures, while Jaren Hall will be entering his second season as a developmental option. The Vikings would not have signed Darnold if they did not expect him to play, but ultimately McCarthy will ascend to the starter’s spot this year or next.

Fast evaluation

The Vikings found their future quarterback. They did not have to settle for the fifth- or sixth-best option. And they got a young, productive, winning player. McCarthy went 36-2 in high school and 27-1 in college at Michigan. He is a former hockey prodigy who possesses functional athleticism and a strong arm. Plug him into an infrastructure full of talented skill players and with a highly regarded coaching staff, and the platform for development is positive.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Michael Penix Jr. was as surprised as anyone when the Atlanta Falcons selected him with the No. 8 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

“I’m not going to say I knew that was coming,” the former University of Washington quarterback said. “I knew when the phone call came through. I had no idea (before that).”

Not many people did. The Falcons were widely expected to focus on defense during the draft after signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the largest total value free-agency deal in NFL history in March — a four-year contract that guarantees Cousins $90 million over the next two years and could pay him as much as $180 million over the course of the deal.

The 35-year-old Cousins, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, wasn’t aware Penix would be the pick until a Falcons official called him minutes before to inform him, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who reported Cousins was “stunned.”

That was a fairly universal reaction. Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was being interviewed on a Bleacher Report broadcast when Atlanta made its pick.

“I’m very shocked, I’m not going to lie. I did think we were going defense,” Pitts said. “I think this is great for (Penix) to learn from such a professional like Kirk and see how he operates on and off the field. He’s a great young player. I can’t wait to get him in the building. This is a good one. I like this one.”

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris declined to address the specifics of their conversation with Cousins.

“Reactions are pretty private,” Morris said. “He got called on the clock because of the sensitive time and the issues you have going on. There’s never a right time to talk to a quarterback about those things, and reactions are always going to be private unless Kirk decides to tell you some of those things. But he’s a competitor just like we all are, and you can expect those things to go like you would think.”

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The Raiders needed to find their long-term answer at quarterback and were believed to have interest in moving up in the draft to ensure they were in position to take one. Well, the Raiders didn’t manage to move up, and by the time they got on the board at No. 13, all six of the quarterbacks viewed as potential franchise saviors had been taken. For now, Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew remain the Raiders’ only options at quarterback. They could look for a passer in the second or third round, but such a player would likely be a project.

More first-round winners and losers.

The Arizona Cardinals entered the offseason in desperate need of a No. 1 receiver, someone who would strike fear in opposing defenses. Last year the Cardinals’ production at the receiver position ranked near the bottom of the NFL. Quarterback Kyler Murray has a trustworthy running back in James Conner and an emerging tight end in Trey McBride. What he lacked was a dynamic receiver.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is athletic and explosive. He has great hands and can make difficult catches look easy. Plus, as the son of Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison, he has football in his blood. Projecting stars out of the draft is tricky, but Harrison looks the part.

Depth-chart impact

Arizona’s No. 1 WR position has been vacant since the Cardinals released DeAndre Hopkins in the summer of 2023. Last year, Hollywood Brown was their top threat, but he was more suited for a No. 2 role. (A free agent, Brown in March signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.) Michael Wilson showed promise as a rookie, but his potential remains largely unknown. Harrison will walk through the door as the team’s No.1 receiver, as he would for many teams around the league.

Fast evaluation

Let’s be clear: The bulk of Arizona’s future depends on the development of Murray. He needs to become a top-10 QB in the NFL, and that’s why Harrison works so well for the Cardinals. He not only gives them a dynamic playmaker, he has the potential to elevate a quarterback who’s still trying to reach a higher level. Harrison was the perfect pick for what this team needs, in terms of production and starpower. This is a home run.

After he tried on his crisp new New England Patriots cap, and after he received his official Roger Goodell hug, Drake Maye spoke these words on worldwide television: “Oh, it’s a blessing. I’m blessed.”

Later on, during a video session with Patriots media, he said, “I’m stoked. I’m super pumped. I can’t wait to give New England … I’m looking so forward to it.”

Of course. Maye isn’t merely headed to the NFL, he’s being whisked to the big time on a magic carpet, which is the standard mode of transportation when you’ve been picked in the first round. As was widely speculated, the Patriots selected the 21-year-old North Carolina quarterback with the third pick, meaning he’s being looked upon as New England’s “quarterback of the future.”

But before discussing the quarterback of the future, it’s worth discussing a couple of New England’s quarterbacks of the past. One of them is Tom Brady, the other is Mac Jones.

Brady? Sorry, that’s just the way it’s going to be, forever, when a newly minted quarterback pulls into Gillette Stadium.

But not to worry: Maye knocked the Brady question out of the park.

“Tom Brady’s the GOAT,” Maye said. “It’s easy to say that. He’s the best that ever played this game. I’m not going to be Tom Brady. I’m just going to try to be Drake Maye. And from there, I’m just trying to learn from him, hopefully get to know him a little bit.”

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ASHBURN, Va. — Look, it’s documented: After Week 10 or so of the 2012 season, I anointed Robert Griffin III as The One. Called him Neo for the rest of the regular season. And we all know how that turned out.

How has it been a dozen years since then, since this district was, for a few weeks anyway, united behind a single, franchise-level quarterback? Or 30-plus seasons since this franchise was a relevant, true Super Bowl contender?

So, not a heavy lift or anything for Jayden Daniels. Just pick up the NFL’s most woebegone team over the past three decades and lift it over your head.

The Washington Commanders stuck to the expected script and went for Daniels, the LSU superstar and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, with the second pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft. For the first time in a long time, this franchise has a quarterback with the potential to be great. Not good, not very good, not Pro Bowl good. Great. Like the best quarterbacks in this league are great, year after year. There is also a not-zero chance that Daniels could have the same fate as other blue-chip, top-five quarterback prospects who flamed out. It’s more likely than not that a QB taken this high doesn’t pan out. But you still have to shoot your shot.

If you get it right, at the sport’s most important position, you hoist Lombardi Trophies.

Washington didn’t flinch. Daniels was, and is, the guy.

“I’m very confident,” Daniels said from Detroit on a video call Thursday with reporters.

“Obviously, it’s a new regime there, and I’m excited just to come in and really just change the culture and help the team win in each and every way that I can,” he said. “Come in, work hard and we’ll see where the course takes itself.”

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray made his comeback from reconstructive knee surgery last season but returned to an offense short on game-changing talent. But Cardinals officials used the fourth pick of the draft to acquire Marvin Harrison Jr., who is regarded by many as the best wideout in the draft. Harrison gives Murray and the Cardinals a polished route runner who also boasts good size and speed.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — If there has ever been a magic number for the Chicago Bears, it’s 85.

Because when you say “85” in Chicago, you think of Ditka and Payton, McMahon and Mongo, Hampton and Dent, “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” a 15-1 season and a desecration of the New England Patriots in New Orleans. You think of a brief period of prosperity and a team that will live forever in pop culture and our collective memory.

I bring this up because George “Papa Bear” Halas took Sid Luckman with the No. 2 pick in the 1939 draft. And the Bears have been looking for the next Luckman since he retired.

And so, 85 years later, the Bears, with Halas’ daughter Virginia McCaskey still the titular head of the team, might have found him in Caleb Williams, whom they took with the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The 85 has to mean something, right? Get me a numerologist.

We’ve known this pick was coming for weeks, months even. There was no shock like when the Bears traded up one pick for Mitch Trubisky or nine for Justin Fields. Williams knew it was happening. He was ready and he is ready. I think I can speak for Chicago and say we were all ready to stop talking about it.

“I didn’t know how I was going to react in the moment,” Williams said Thursday night. “I was trying to think through it in my head throughout the process, but nothing feels better than being in the moment, actually getting that call. I didn’t feel nervous. I didn’t feel any of that. I was anxious and ready to go.”

Williams wore 13 at USC. And that’s 8 + 5. No, I’m not crazy.

The Bears hadn’t made a pick at No. 1 since 1947, when they took a halfback out of Oklahoma A&M named Bob Fenimore. He lasted only one season. Last year, they traded out of No. 1 for DJ Moore and a haul of picks, including Carolina’s first-rounder. The Panthers were so bad, the Bears got another crack at the top one.

From Luckman to luck, man.

Maybe, just maybe, Williams is The One who can make the Bears forget about the long list of failed quarterbacks who have come and gone. Maybe Williams can be the one who makes the Bears consistent winners, a national team, for the first time since the Ditka era. Maybe Williams is the one who can boot Luckman off the TV graphics meant to poke fun at the Bears’ decades of offensive irrelevance.

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Thirty-two picks down, but 225 to go.

Here's a look at the top players on Dane Brugler's big board entering Day 2:

1. Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson (No. 23 overall)
2. Iowa CB Cooper DeJean (No. 27)
3. Illinois DT Johnny Newton (No. 28)
4. Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (No. 30)
5. Georgia WR Ladd McConkey (No. 31)
6. Western Michigan edge Marshawn Kneeland (No. 32)
7. Texas WR Adonai Mitchell (No. 33)
8. West Virginia C Zach Frazier (No. 34)
9. Michigan DT Kris Jenkins (No. 36)
10. Florida State WR Keon Coleman (No. 37)

Quarterbacks were flying off the board at a record-breaking pace early in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, as five were taken within the first 10 picks and six in the first 12. It marks the first time in the common draft era (since 1967) that five QBs have gone in the top 10.

The historic run included the Atlanta Falcons making a surprising selection at No. 8 by drafting former Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. and capped with the Minnesota Vikings trading up from No. 11 to No. 10 to pick Michigan’s national championship-winning QB J.J. McCarthy.

The Chicago Bears kicked off the frenzy with the far less shocking selection of Caleb Williams out of USC as the first pick. The Washington Commanders followed by taking reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU at No. 2, then the New England Patriots snagged North Carolina’s Drake Maye at No. 3.

The Denver Broncos’ move to pick Bo Nix at No. 12 tied the record for most QBs selected in the first round, which was set in 1983.

The Falcons’ first choice of the draft puzzled many, as the team recently signed NFL veteran and former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins to a deal that is worth $180 million over four years, including $100 million guaranteed. Prior to the draft, general manager Terry Fontenot said Atlanta would take “the best player available for us” and didn’t shy away from the possibility of picking a QB.

“If we see a player we believe can be a franchise quarterback at any point, whether it be this draft or next draft, then you have to bring that player in,” he said.

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