The 2024 NFL Draft‘s feeder class of elite high school talent was the 2021 cycle, which was wrecked by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. High school seasons were canceled or shortened, in-person visits were wiped out and evaluation opportunities were few and far between.
Even so, the recruiting industry churned out another terrific reminder Thursday night that stars really do matter.
Seven former five-star recruits were selected, including No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, who won the 2022 Heisman Trophy. Each of the five-star prospects who were selected in the first round were members of the 2021 class. The first night also featured a staggering 15 four-star recruits hear their names called, meaning over two-thirds of all selected players were blue-chippers. That is quite impressive.
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Here’s a look at the star rankings and expert observations for every player selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
High school rank: 5-star | 99 rating | No. 8 overall | No. 2 QB | 2021
As a recruit: “Williams showed a big arm and an ability to be creative and tough. He was consistently pressured but his mobility allowed him to extend plays.
“He was poised and did not blush in the face of getting hit a lot. It hurt his completion percentage, but he made a ton of plays and was consistently making throws into windows rarely seen on the high school level.
“His understanding of the offense and his athleticism allowed him to thrive against teams with more talent.” — Brian Dohn, 247Sports national recruiting analyst
High school rank: 4-star | 97 rating | No. 35 overall | No. 1 dual-threat QB | 2019
As a recruit: “I first saw Jayden at a 7v7 tournament when he was just a freshman. He was about 5-foot-1, maybe 5-foot-2 and so painfully shy that he wouldn’t even look up to talk to you.
“He had sort of a funky, shot put throwing motion and at the time, you would have never guessed he would eventually develop in to a Heisman Trophy winner and future first-rounder.
“He probably grew a foot between his freshman and sophomore year, radically developed as a thrower and made huge strides as an athlete.
“He still has a lean, slight frame to this day but was always tough and would stand in and take a shot and never flinch.
“He finished his high school career with the second-most passing yards (14,007) and touchdowns (170) in state history.” — Greg Biggins, 247Sports national scouting analyst
