2024 NFL Draft: The biggest winners and losers of Round 1

After months of anticipation and wild speculation about the fate of a handful of quarterback prospects, the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft delivered on that promise -- in historic fashion.

Despite the first three picks going as largely predicted, the subsequent 10 selections saw a flurry of trade activity and capped an unprecedented run on the quarterback position.

The emphasis on offensive players continued until the middle of the round, with the first 14 picks all belonging to that side of the ball.

Trying to assess any particular pick as a home run or a whiff on draft night is an exercise in futility. But it's not too soon to judge a team's process -- how a player fits into the existing roster, and what the team spent -- or didn't spend -- to get him.

And so we get to the important work of identifying winners and losers: Those who came out ahead, relative to pre-draft expectations, and those who may have disappointed.

Caleb Williams
Photo credit Getty Images

Winners: Chicago Bears

The whole football world knew the Bears were selecting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick, giving the team its franchise quarterback. But in addition to Williams, the Bears also drafted wide receiver Rome Odunze out of Washington to pair with Williams for the foreseeable future.

Odunze, who stands at 6-3 and ran a 4.45 40 at the combine, slots in opposite veteran receivers D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen with tight end Cole Kmet and running back D’Andre Swift filling out the other skill positions, giving the Bears an offense that has tons of potential. -- John Healy

Malik Nabers
Photo credit Getty

Winners: New York Giants

The Giants were implicated in all manner of speculation regarding a potential trade up for a potential successor to quarterback Daniel Jones. But with Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye going 1-2-3, and no tradeup materializing, the G-Men stood pat and took the best available player rather than forcing the matter and reaching for a lesser talent.

In wide receiver Malik Nabers, Big Blue has added the type of dynamic pass-catcher that has been missing since the departure of Odell Beckham Jr. Nabers is both fast and physical, a guy who plays with a mean streak. His energy and desire to win on seemingly every play is unmistakable, and it's something that should help energize and recharge a franchise in need of an infusion of both playmaking and passion. But Nabers isn't just a Charlie Hustle -- he boasts the skills and measurables that should translate at the next level. The quarterback issue will likely need to be addressed at some point, but for now the Giants added a premium talent. -- Dan Mennella

Jayden Daniels
Photo credit Getty

Winners: Quarterbacks and Predictable Mock Drafts

The first four picks of the draft went pretty much as many expected. The Commanders selected LSU QB Jayden Daniels, while the Patriots held onto the No. 3 pick -- despite rumors of a potential trade back -- to take their future franchise QB in UNC’s Drake Maye. The first big shakeup did not come until the fifth pick, when the Chargers selected Joe Alt, whom the Titans were supposedly high on for the seventh pick.

The Bears, Commanders and Patriots were not the only ones to land their potential franchise quarterbacks. An NFL Draft record of six quarterbacks in total were taken in the first round – Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. was taken by the Falcons with the eighth pick, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy was selected 10th by the Vikings, who traded up one spot, and Oregon’s Bo Nix went to the Broncos at 12. -- John Healy

Terrion Arnold
Photo credit Getty

Winners: Detroit Lions

Among areas of concern heading into the offseason for Detroit was the team’s secondary, and the Lions addressed that in a big way Thursday night with the selection of Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold.

Detroit moved up five spots and traded a third-round pick to grab Arnold, who went later than many anticipated as defensive players were passed over for the first half of the draft. Arnold brings versatility and toughness into a Detroit secondary that struggled at times last season and can make an immediate impact for a team that reached the NFC Championship Game last year.

For what it's worth, the home crowd in Detroit welcomed the Lions' selection of Arnold with a loud ovation, and it certainly never hurts when a pick is met with a positive reaction from the fanbase. -- John Healy

Michael Penix
Photo credit Getty

Losers: Atlanta Falcons

When the clock started for the Atlanta Falcons Thursday night they had every defensive player in the draft available, and a huge need on the defensive side of the football. Instead of selecting the first defensive player of the draft, Atlanta looked to the future and grabbed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Call us in 3-5 years and ask if this pick made sense, but right now, in 2024, it’s a head-scratcher.

The Falcons just gave free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180-million deal with $100 million guaranteed. Penix likely won’t see the field for a good while. Maybe this works out long-term for Penix to learn from Cousins, but for 2024, the Falcons did not get better as a football team. And teams picking in the top 10 typically try to get better immediately with such an early pick. -- Knox Bardeen

Laiatu Latu
Photo credit Getty

Losers: Defensive players

The NFL has long been tipping the scales in favor of offense, and that trend was especially borne out in this draft. The run on quarterbacks was historic -- six of them off the board in the first round, all within the first dozen picks. In fact, the run on offensive players continued through pick No. 14, with the streak finally ending when the Colts nabbed UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu 15th overall. Among those top 14 picks, there were the six quarterbacks, three wide receivers, four offensive linemen and one tight end.

To be sure, it would be premature to say this is the new normal. This year marked a perfect storm, of sorts, with a handful of teams looking for a new quarterback, and those teams' aggressive pursuit essentially triggering the early run. As well, the top three wide receivers were widely considered to be special talents.

Defensive players will almost certainly return to top-10 status in future drafts. But on this night, offense was the priority, and in a league that increasingly favors scoring, it was an informative development, though not exactly shocking. -- Dan Mennella

This story is sponsored by Moran Chevrolet.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images