Players That Show Why the 2024 NFL Draft Will be an Elite Year for Skill Position Players

It is a common trend in the world of the National Football League that once the current draft ends, all eyes turn to the next season of draft-eligible players. The hyperbole begins, the media starts talking, and NFL betting sites release their odds on who is likeliest to be the top pick. This is a time when prospects can be overinflated, and there is still so much football to be played. But, with that said, looking ahead to next year, this class of skill position players could be special.

This year’s 2023 draft had a solid quarterback class, but the weapons were lacking. Next year is a different animal. There are elite skill position players across the board, including some of the most hyped quarterbacks, and the most hyped tight-end, we’ve seen in a few years. While these players have a year to slip, right now, they look like the next big things. Let’s look at some of the defining skill position players in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman winner and the favorite on most sports betting sites to repeat this year. The USC Trojans quarterback is the total package. He has a rocket of an arm, is an incredible runner, and plays like something of a mix between Kyler Murray and Patrick Mahomes. A lofty comparison, sure, but this star has scouts salivating after compiling 52 total touchdowns and just five turnovers last year. His Trojans are poised to compete in the Pac-12 and have a stacked cast of receivers. There’s no reason he can’t assert himself as the clear number one next year.

Drake Maye

If there’s one player that could beat Williams to the podium, it is Drake Maye. Maye is an absolute gunslinger. The quarterback of North Carolina, Maye, exploded onto the scene as a redshirt freshman last year. He has a cannon of an arm, an ideal build, and incredible athleticism. He put up 45 total touchdowns last year. At 6’5, he has the prototype size, and scouts are very high on him. While his supporting cast is less talented, Maye has shown an ability to make things happen. Next year will be a good draft to need a QB.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

The last wide receiver to get drafted first overall was in 1996, so the odds are against Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State’s supremely gifted wideout. But after the season he just had and his Hall of Fame NFL bloodlines, don’t doubt him. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the son of the legendary Colts receiver he is named for, but he built his own name with a sophomore year where he put up 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is 6’3, explosive, and a sure-catcher. He looks to have all the ingredients to be an instant NFL Pro Bowler.

Brock Bowers

Brock Bowers has known nothing but success since he got to Georgia. In his two years on campus, the team has won two CFB championships and lost just one game. Not bad. Bowers has been a big reason for Georgia’s success as their top option since he was just a freshman. Few tight ends have found the college success Bowers has, and he might be the best tight-end prospect in recent history. He is explosive and a great route runner and stands at 6’4, 230 pounds. Last year, he was dominant with 942 yards receiving and ten total touchdowns. What will he do in his junior year?

Emeka Egbuka

It is a testament to the incredible strength of the Ohio State wide receiver room that Emeka Egbuka will likely be the second receiver off the board behind his own teammate. Egbuka would be the top receiver in many drafts. He is incredibly gifted at creating space, and scouts expect him to run a 40-time in the 4.3 range. He was incredible against top competition last year, showing out against both Georgia and Michigan’s NFL-caliber defenders. All told he finished the season with 1,151 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns. Cornerbacks will not look forward to that Ohio State matchup this year.

Raheim Sanders

While this year’s running back class likely was more talented than the upcoming year’s rushers, there are still some intriguing names to know. Raheim Sanders looks like the cream of the crop for the RB position in the 2024 draft. The star Arkansas running back put up an absolutely monstrous season in the SEC last year, totaling over 1,700 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has the ideal build for a power back at 6’2, 237 pounds, but he is also expected to run in the 4.4 range at the combine. It is an intriguing mix of power and speed that has him likely to be a late first or early second-round pick.