It’s a great day to be a quarterback.
It’s also apparently a just-as-opportune day to be the guy who catches passes from the quarterback, who blocks for the quarterback and, generally, stands on the same side of the line of scrimmage as the quarterback.
The 2024 NFL Draft opened with a record-breaking number of offensive picks. It started when three quarterbacks — Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye — were picked at Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Within the top 10 picks, five quarterbacks — including Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy — were selected, marking the first time in the common draft era (since 1967) that happened.
Teams kept calling on offensive weapons until pick No. 15, when the Indianapolis Colts nabbed edge rusher Laiatu Latu. It marked the first time in draft history a defensive player was not taken within the top 10.
It was also the latest selection that the first defensive player was taken off the board.
Before Latu, Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn was the latest defensive pick to be taken in the draft. He was taken at No. 8 by the team in 2021.
This story will be updated.
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(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
