2024 NFL Draft (formerly NFL DRAFT LIVE!)

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was a real-time update on the 2024 NFL Draft. Read back through it to see TFB editor/publisher Mitch Lucas’s thoughts as they happened on the first round.

OK, we’re officially live. The 2024 NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central, but we’re already here. Jump in if you’d like, or let us just entertain you with our real-time thoughts, which we’ll be doing all night, for the entire first round.

Coverage has begun on — well, just about every network that’s covering it. ESPN has “NFL Countdown,” its flagship show, but no Chris Berman. Those days are gone, sadly. Mike Greenberg is leading the broadcast, and that’s fine. He does sound a little under the weather. On the set with him, from left: NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., Booger McFarland, Greenberg and then Louis Riddick Jr., former front office man and actually very knowledgeable, at least I find him to be so. NFL insider Adam Schefter isn’t on the main set, but is nearby.
They cut almost immediately to imbeciles dressed in NFL franchise-themed costumes designed to get them on air, and it worked, sadly.
Greenberg now has the Big Dog, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, on set, interviewing him about various topics, among them having the draft in Detroit. “This is a team that is obviously well-coached,” Goodell said. “This is a football town.”
Greenberg and Goodell discuss international games (he expects the number of international games to pick up), the future of streaming games (more games on streaming platforms, have been happy with the Thursday night package on Amazon), doubleheader on Christmas (“People want to sit around with the family and watch football. We’re gonna deliver more football. And we’re excited about that.”)
On players hugging him after being drafted: “I’m prepared. I’m ready to go.”
Greenberg just promoted recently-retired Nick Saban will join the panel next.
Countdown clock says 37:40.
Coverage on ABC will be with the “College GameDay” crew, led by Rece Davis, and includes Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit and new panelist Saban.
After a discussion, and a reminder they’ll be on ABC, Davis throws back to Greenberg, who honors the recently-passed former NFL insider Chris Mortensen, whose career was made at the NFL Draft, noted by Schefter to be a part of every NFL Draft since 1991. “I was honored to be one of his many, many friends,” Kiper said. “…Mort was special…He made you laugh. He knew what life was about.”
McFarland told of getting positive text messages from Mortensen after his first NFL Draft broadcast. “I didn’t even know Mort knew my name. He made everyone feel special.”
“Not a lot of people know this, but one of the major reasons why I was interviewed for the New York Giants general manager position was because of Mort,” Riddick noted.
The countdown to what we know is coming, which is Caleb Williams becoming the newest member of the Chicago Bears, is gone from the screen on ESPN. They’re now introducing the players that are actually present for the draft in Detroit, beginning with Alabama corner Terrion Arnold (alphabetical order).
It worked out that Williams was the last on stage, obviously.
The color guard, the Armed Forces, is bringing the flags onto the stage for the National Anthem, sang by Detroit native Caleb Carroll.
The countdown is back on the screen. 11 minutes.
The people in the room with me just pointed out that I look rough. Hey, I’m starting a beard. Give me a break.
The Fresh Pet people are killing me with these commercials. Tell me how many grown men have actually USED the word “veggies” in their lives.
On the NFL Network broadcast, which presumably has the same countdown, they’re actually showing a replay of Williams coming out onto the stage about 5 minutes ago. Not kidding.
And they just scared everyone in the room with a BREAKING NEWS bulletin at the bottom. Apparently, wide receiver A.J. Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to a contract extension. That actually made everyone think something was happening related to the draft.
NFL Network insider Ian Rappoport is talking about possibilities at the third and fourth picks, where people are “expecting” trades.
Kimberly Martin just said “here are Dan Quinn’s non-negotiables” at quarterback. I’ll be honest: I had forgotten Dan Quinn was even the freaking coach at Washington.
Molly McGrath is interviewing Marvin Harrison Jr. and Williams in the green room on ESPN, and on NFL Network, they’re showing a feature on Motown. Apparently, because the draft is in Detroit.
Our countdown is just about up; Molly is going to talk through it (no offense to her, she’s good at her job). She’s now interviewing Arnold.
As the draft begins, ESPN opens with Kiper’s best available quarterbacks: Williams, and the rest of the cast we’ve heard about: Maye, Daniels, Bo Nix, Michael Penix, et al.
Our draft predictions are here (The Football Beat’s ONLY 2024 Mock Draft | The Football Beat), which you don’t have time to read now; it’s a 4,000-plus-word story. But we stick by our prediction that Bo Nix will be drafted TONIGHT. And the Denver Broncos better be careful; if they want Nix, some team might slip in front of them before they draft at No.12.
On the NFL Network’s coverage, they’re showing a SEA of people from the stage-back. And a countdown actually until Goodell hits the stage (oh, my goodness).
I’m guessing Eminem is about to join Goodell on the stage.
The official opener has Goodell sitting with Detroit great Barry Sanders.
I was right. Marshall Mathers (Eminem) is on stage with Goodell, who is GETTING THE CRAP booed out of him. LOL. As usual by NFL fans. They are not booing Eminem, though.
Eminem just told the crowd to make noise. That’s original.
They’re bringing out members of the Detroit Lions, current and former, including Sanders.
At some point, I think we’re going to have the actual draft, where we pick players.
Sanders looks like he’s a good 2 1/2 feet shorter than all of the current players.
Goodell back to the mic, and they immediately boo him again, LOL. “Come on,” he said.
“The Chicago Bears,” Goodell said, “are now on the clock.”
The clock starts at 10 minutes, and it’s their first time with the No. 1 pick since 1947. Greenberg just noted Chicago is the only franchise without a quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in their history.
This pick actually belonged to Carolina, but they traded it away as a conditional pick as a part of the trade last season. Chicago’s actual pick is the No. 9 pick, which they (presumably) will make later tonight.
If Caleb Williams is NOT the No. 1 pick momentarily, there is going to be an AWFUL lot of money lost in Las Vegas. And none of it will be Mitchie’s.
Goodell is on his way to the podium…
“With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select… CALEB WILLIAMS, quarterback, Southern California,” Goodell said.
McGrath talks to him. “Learn all my teammates’ names… and get ready to go win games,” Williams said, when she asked him what is his next goal.
Three minutes on the clock for the Washington Commanders.
The pick is in from the Commanders. And the commissioner is coming to the podium.
With the second pick, the Commanders select JAYDEN DANIELS, quarterback, LSU.
He’s the only player in FBS history with 12,000 pass yards and 3,000 rush yards. Have you heard that a few times this week?
I love Daniels as a player. But he is VERY thin. He needs to order some chocolate shakes and eat some cube steak with extra gravy.
They’re showing a large hog at the Washington draft watch party. If you don’t get that, you’re too young to remember the Washington offensive line used to be called “The Hogs,” back when the franchise was actually good and winning Super Bowls (three under coach Joe Gibbs). Hogs, because they grinded it out in the mud, got it?
The Patriots’ pick is in. Schefter says he thinks it’s a quarterback. The cameras are on Drake Maye from North Carolina. He’s not on the phone or doing anything. He’s looking pensive. Now a wide shot of the crowd.
Goodell announces the pick. It’s MAYE, QUARTERBACK, NORTH CAROLINA.
So our mock draft indeed missed it. I honestly thought the law of averages would not allow three quarterbacks to go 1-2-3 straight, at least not to the teams with the picks, as ordered.
I was clearly wrong. And the Arizona Cardinals are on the clock. This is likely Marvin Harrison Jr., the stud wide receiver out of Ohio State, one of the best, if not THE best, receivers in the draft.
I will say this: the Patriots did not do any favors for former quarterback and former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, giving up on him way too quickly. And assigning him with a defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, to be his OFFENSIVE coordinator, then trading Jones away as if it were his fault.
As I’m whining, Arizona’s pick is in. No trades so far in the top four.
And the pick is MARVIN HARRISON, WIDE RECEIVER, OHIO STATE.
The next pick belongs to the L.A. Chargers. And I’m calling right now that it’s Malik Nabers, the wide receiver from LSU, or maybe Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt.
The pick is in. And here we go…Schefter said no trade.
It’s JOE ALT, TACKLE, NOTRE DAME.
Greenberg and crew remind us that he’s the son of former Kansas City offensive lineman John Alt.
If this pick by the New York Giants is J.J. McCarthy, the QB from Michigan, then they are drafting Daniel Jones again. This would be a huge mistake.
And they don’t make it. They draft MALIK NABERS, the wideout from LSU. Good decision.
The Tennessee Titans are on the clock.
And the pick is in. And we’re all on commercial. On ESPN, that is.
I’ll try and predict the pick. I’m guessing edge rusher Dallas Turner from ‘Bama.
And the No. 7 pick of the draft is J.C. LATHAM, TACKLE, ALABAMA. Right school, wrong player. Thank you for that line, Clayton Fletcher.
Was I a pick early on Turner? Schefter is saying it might be a QUARTERBACK! Even though they signed Kirk Cousins as a free agent in the offseason.
WOW. It’s MICHAEL PENIX JR., QUARTERBACK, WASHINGTON.
WOW. Just wow. The Falcons signed Cousins as a free agent and still picked a quarterback at No. 8 overall.
Penix was a big name in the 2023 season and played in the College Football Playoff with the Huskies, made it to the national championship game. Louis Riddick Jr: “This is a shocker.”
Greenberg pointing out that Penix has had two torn ACL’s and various shoulder injuries. Also that he was the runner-up to the Heisman last season.
Here come the Chicago Bears again at No. 9. They have a variety of players, so many, still on the board to choose from. Will it be offensive help for Williams, a receiver, a lineman, or will it be a defensive player like Turner or maybe Byron Murphy II from Texas?
Four QBs in the first eight picks.
They select the receiver we had them taking in the mock: ROME ODUNZE, WR, WASHINGTON. And they just made Williams happy.
The New York Jets have just traded pick No 10 to the Minnesota Vikings! The Vikings were to pick at 11 — they must have found out that some other team was going to trade up in FRONT of them to get the player they wanted!
The Vikings’ pick is in, so — let’s go to a freakin’ commercial.
We’ve waited for a long time for this announcement. And here it is. I’m thinking it’s possible a quarterback MIGHT be the pick here; I suppose it could be Turner, or maybe McCarthy, simply because of Cousins’ departure from the Vikings in the offseason.
It’s J.J. McCARTHY, QUARTERBACK, MICHIGAN.
I’m not high on his skill set, I’ll be honest. He’s a winner, won the national title. He’s 6-2, 219 pounds, so he’s not small. And he can get out of the pocket and be a threat. Hopefully for Vikings, he’ll prove me wrong.
The Jets swapped first-round picks with the Vikings and now are up, and the pick is in. No idea here; possibly defensive help, since Robert Saleh, a defensive-minded head coach, is the head coach? Could this be the first cornerback, maybe Terrion Arnold, or the kid from Toledo? Could it be Turner or Murphy, or another defensive standout?
Maybe they take Georgia tight end Brock Bowers here. I’ve been on the record that Bowers, I believe, is the best overall player in this draft.
At pick No. 11, the Jets pick: OLU FASHANU, TACKLE, PENN STATE.
It’s not sexy, but it is the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, and you know quarterback Aaron Rodgers won’t disagree with it.
He’s 6-6, 312 pounds. Kiper just called him “small!”
What kind of world do we live in where 6-6 and 312 is “SMALL?!!!”
The Broncos, who have been linked to Oregon quarterback Bo Nix at pick No. 12, are on the clock. The Las Vegas Raiders, who no longer employ Jimmy Garoppolo, draft at No. 13.
Pick is in. Denver picks BO NIX, QUARTERBACK, OREGON. The Football Beat’s Mock Draft nailed it!!!
Raiders on the clock, guys.
Pick is in. Prediction: this won’t be a quarterback.
And there goes BROCK BOWERS, TIGHT END, GEORGIA. My favorite player in the draft.
The New Orleans Saints are on the clock at pick No. 14.
By the way, NO DEFENSIVE PLAYERS have been picked. At all.
SIX quarterbacks have been picked in the first 14 picks.
The Saints are finally picking: TALIESE FUAGA, TACKLE, OREGON STATE.
Did not have Fuaga in the first round. That’s our first uncharted player.
The Colts are on the clock at pick No. 15.
Indy taking all of their allotted time.
By the way, the Seattle Seahawks — the “bad guys” of the movie “Draft Day” — are up next.
Colts pick LAIATU LATU, EDGE RUSHER, UCLA, the first defensive player off the board.
Latu had neck issues, Schefter said, and a handful of teams had him red-flagged because of them. Obviously, not the Colts, and they picked him at No. 15.
Seattle has just under 5 minutes left on the clock at No. 16.
Greenberg just noted the streak of 14 straight offensive players was the longest in the history of the modern draft era.
The Seahawks pick is in. We’re watching an NFL public service announcement.
After Seattle picks, unless there’s a trade or two, Jacksonville picks at 17, then Cincinnati at 18.
Seattle takes BYRON MURPHY II, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, TEXAS.
As soon as I said it: Jacksonville has TRADED pick No. 17 to Minnesota!
And the pick is IN.
And it is: DALLAS TURNER, EDGE / LINEBACKER, ALABAMA. His “slide,” if you can call it that, is over.
Had a 10-sack year last year, and not afraid to get a little rough, by the way.
The Cincinnati Bengals are on the clock.
Who had the over-under on the first “Jake From State Farm” commercial of the night, what time we’d see it? Because it just hit at 10:13 Eastern, 9:13 Central.
Finally, they’re back and the Bengals draft the player I had going to the Cowboys in my mock draft: OT AMARIUS MIMS, GEORGIA.
This is a guy that’s 6-7, 340 pounds and somehow LOOKS BIGGER than that.
Kiper talked about how good he COULD be, but called him a developmental right tackle.
The Los Angeles Rams are drafting next, and haven’t had a first-round pick since drafting JARED FREAKING GOFF in 2016. That’s a couple of Presidential administrations ago. Good grief.
Schefter seems to be tipping off that the pick could be Chop Robinson, the defensive lineman out of Penn State.
The 19th pick is JARED VERSE, EDGE, FLORIDA STATE. That’s not a defensive tackle, technically, to replace the retired Aaron Donald, but it is a player that will get a pass rush, and at 6-3, 254, he’s a load.
Pittsburgh is up next, and the Steelers need help in a lot of places. They can pretty much draft best-player-available, but in kind of a negative way. It’s pick No. 20 of the first round.
Steelers’ pick is in, and it’s being announced by Walter Payton Man of the Year 2023 winner, Steelers’ Cam Heyward. The No. 20 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft is TROY FAUTANU, TACKLE, WASHINGTON.
And that’s the player The Football Beat mock draft had them taking. We’ve had five picks of the top 20 EXACTLY RIGHT.
As has been the trend ALL NIGHT LONG, the pick, the 21st overall tonight, is in, and belongs to Miami.
But we’re at COMMERCIAL. At least on ESPN.
THE MIAMI DOLPHINS JUST DRAFTED EDGE RUSHER CHOP ROBINSON OUT OF PENN STATE!!!
That’s who we had them drafting in our mock draft! We’ve had six of the top 21 correct, to the same team!
Philadelphia is on the clock with Pick 22, and the pick is in. It looks like it MIGHT be Clemson corner Nate Wiggins.
I just said they need to quit booing Goodell, and he began talking about international games instead of announcing the pick. Now I’M ready to boo him, too.
ANNOUNCE THE PICK, ROGER.
With pick No. 22, they take CB QUINYON MITCHELL, TOLEDO.
The first cornerback is off the board.
Jacksonville is on the clock and the pick is in (23). The Dallas Cowboys are up next.
So the pick is in. BRIAN THOMAS JR., WR, LSU.
Cowboys on the clock, guys.
Clock running, no shot of the Dallas war room like we normally get, at least not so far.
I say that, and there’s the shot.
The Cowboys have traded the pick to Detroit!
Talking heads thinking it’s Alabama corner Terrion Arnold.
That’s who it is. Pick No. 24, Detroit picks TERRION ARNOLD, CB, ALABAMA.
Green Bay is on the clock, at 25, then Tampa Bay at 26.
Green Bay takes JORDAN MORGAN, OT, ARIZONA with pick 25.
Tampa knew who they wanted at 26. They’ve already turned the pick in, that quickly, RIGHT AFTER Green Bay announced their pick.
The Bucs pick GRAHAM BARTON, CENTER, DUKE.
Barton, important to note, has also played a ton of left tackle.
The Arizona Cardinals have a second pick in the first round, and it’s next (at 27), unless they trade it away. Then, it’s the Buffalo Bills at 28.
The Cards take DARIUS ROBINSON, EDGE, MISSOURI.
Buffalo, who traded away receiver Stefon Diggs to Houston in the offseason, is on the clock at 28. Doesn’t necessarily mean a receiver here, although Xavier Worthy (Texas) and Xavier Legette (South Carolina) are both available.
Dallas comes up again at 29, and Baltimore at 30, as we have five more picks remaining in the first round.
Buffalo TRADES this pick to KANSAS CITY. And the pick is IN. Which means…
… A COMMERCIAL. Sorry.
Are the Chiefs drafting a receiver (Worthy, a speed demon from Texas)? Or a corner to replace Sneed?
The 28th pick is WORTHY, WR, TEXAS.
In our mock draft, we compared Worthy and his 4.21 40-yard-dash speed to Tyreek Hill, the FORMER Chiefs receiver, now with Miami.
The Cowboys’ pick, No. 29, is in. Baltimore picks No. 30, and is on the clock. San Francisco picks at 31, and Buffalo wraps it up at 32.
They’re showing Worthy and his family celebrating his pick in Dripping Springs, Texas (near Austin). I’ve been there, a time or two.
Dallas picks a pick of need: TYLER GUYTON, OT, OKLAHOMA.
The Cowboys needed to rebuild that offensive line, and that’s a great start.
Guyton was a former TCU player, a transfer to OU, and athletic: a former tight end before converting to tackle.
The Baltimore pick is in. Again, the Niners draft at 31, then Buffalo at 32, IF there are no more trades tonight.
Ravens war room celebrating on camera. Do they ever show a war room NOT celebrating?
With the 30th overall pick, it’s NATE WIGGINS, CB, CLEMSON.
Niners on the clock.
Seen in the background behind Wiggins at his draft party: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.
They’re FINALLY back from commercial.
And the Niners at 31 take… RICKY PEARSALL, WR, FLORIDA
Buffalo is trading down AGAIN!
Carolina has traded UP ONE PICK from 33 to 32!
And the final pick of the night…XAVIER LEGETTE, WR, SOUTH CAROLINA. A target for Bryce Young.
And thank you, everyone, for spending the first round with The Football Beat. We’ll see you for news and draft updates tomorrow. Have a great rest of your Thursday night.