NFLMocks’ 5 for 5: NFL Draft Stock, Stellar WR Debuts, and More!

Headline #5: Five Offensive Prospects to Watch Out For in the 2024 NFL Draft

•No. 1: Caleb Williams (USC)

It is early to look at an NFL Draft that is two April’s away, but Caleb Williams is already making a great claim to be the first person off the board when the time comes. Williams began his career with Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, before following his head coach to USC.

Williams won the starting gig instantly and through his first two games with the Trojans, he’s looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Assuming he can remain healthy, Caleb Williams is the leader in the clubhouse for both the Heisman Trophy and for No. 1 pick honors in the 2024 NFL Draft.

•No. 2: Brock Bowers (Georgia)

The Georgia Bulldogs sent a mind-boggling 15 players to this past year’s NFL Draft, but somehow their two best pro prospects were not even draft-eligible.

Jalen Carter is the biggest reason why the Bulldog’s defense hasn’t lost a step, but Brock Bowers is right at his heels when it comes to the 2024 NFL Draft. Carter is likely to come off the board first strictly due to the position, but Bowers already grades out in a similar tier as former Florida Gator, Kyle Pitts.

Bowers isn’t quite as “freaky” as an athlete, but he’s been an NFL-caliber tight end since high school. He’s coming off of a true freshman season that saw him lead the team in receiving by over 300 yards. Do not fall into the trope of over-analyzing Bowers, this kid is as good as they come in terms of an NFL prospect.

•No. 3: Braelon Allen (Wisconsin)

Jonathan Taylor ascended the NFL running back rankings at a breakneck pace in 2021, holding the title of the best running back in the league as he enters his third season. The man who eventually replaced him at Wisconsin is showing why he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Braelon Allen played his true freshman season as a 17-year-old. Yes, you read that correctly. Now, as an old man, he has already racked up 246 yards in his team’s first two games and undoubtedly has Heisman Trophy aspirations. Allen will be a young 20 when he enters his name into the 2024 NFL Draft, and all signs say that he will be coming off of an illustrious career that rivals that of the aforementioned Taylor.

Wisconsin has been a mainstay with running backs, but now they’re getting their chance to watch legitimate superstar NFL running backs. Allen is next up.

•No. 4: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State)

Speaking of schools that are positional factories, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been putting together a strong argument for the WRU mantle. I concluded that the LSU Tigers lay claim to that spot, but there’s a real argument that the three best wide receivers in the country currently call Columbus home.

To be clear, Jordan Addison and Kayshon Boutte deserve their respect, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka, and Marvin Harrison Jr. are an absurd trio. Harrison Jr. has shined in the absence of JSN, with his breakout performance coming in week two against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

The son of former Indianapolis Colt legend, Marvin Harrison, posted this jaw-dropping stat line: 7 receptions, 184 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns. Harrison showcased his NFL-level speed and top-tier separation abilities, forming a dominant connection with quarterback CJ Stroud.

Stroud supported three wide receivers in 2021, so there should be little concern about JSN’s return. Next season, it’ll be MHJ’s room to lead. He figures to be towards the top of the rankings for wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft.

•No. 5: Quinn Ewers & Xavier Worthy (Texas)

Cheating a bit here by naming two players, but Quinn Ewers and Xavier Worthy put on a show against Alabama.

Before Ewers’ injury, he looked poised and confident in the eye of the Alabama storm. He stared Nick Saban down and did not flinch. Not many can make that claim and live to tell about it, but Ewers and his picturesque Mullet can.

Xavier Worthy was the biggest surprise for me. He burnt an Alabama secondary — numerous times — that features multiple high draft picks. Their biggest connection came on a 46-yard bomb after Worthy snuck behind the defense and Ewers delivered a dime directly into the bucket.

The game may not have ended the way the Longhorn fandom wanted, and it sucks that Ewers is hurt, but there’s more to be positive about than negative in Austin. The first time this can be said in at least a decade.

If the streak isn’t snapped this season, Ewers and/or Worthy will be looking to be the first Longhorns taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since Malcolm Brown in 2015. Texas did not have a single player drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft.