Headed into Week 15 of the NFL season, we can say with some certainty which rookies have what it takes and which don’t. It’s not a completely definitive stance, but it’s pretty close.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski gave out first round draft grades for all 32 picks in the 2024 NFL draft with just a few weeks remaining in the regular season, with only 2 of the 32 picks receiving an “A+” grade — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.
“A franchise-changing quarterback selection is the best any team can hope to select in the draft,” Sobleski wrote. “The Washington Commanders did so with this year’s second overall pick, Jayden Daniels. The LSU product has been the front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year throughout the season. He currently ranks top five overall with a 69.6 completion percentage and 71.7 QBR. Furthermore, he has provided 590 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.”
One might seek to see if Sobleski could have added an “A++” grade for Daniels, who has doubled the win total from 2023 for the Commanders with the team now sitting at 8-5 and in the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC.
Daniels Provided NFL’s Signature Moment of 2024
If there’s a single moment that’s defined the 2024 NFL regular season, it’s been Daniels’ 65-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown as time expired to beat the Chicago Bears in Week 8.
Daniels beat out Marcus Mariota to become the starter in training camp after they selected him No. 2 overall out of LSU and signed him to a 4-year, $37.7 million contract — the Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall and named him the starter without a competition.
Daniels has already shown he can battle through adversity. The week before the Hail Mary against the Bears, Daniels injured his rib on a long run on the first offensive series against the Carolina Panthers and didn’t play the rest of the game — it was in doubt he might even return to face the Bears.
Following a 7-2 start — the best for the Commanders since 1996 — Daniels and his team lost 3 consecutive games before bouncing back with a much-needed win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 13.
Washington is trying to have its first winning season since 2016 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The Commanders haven’t won a playoff game since defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round following the 2005 season.
Bowers Could Be Next Great NFL Tight End
Bowers, the only other player to receive an “A+” grade, hasn’t gotten close to the amount of attention as Daniels because he plays on a terrible team — the Raiders are 2-10 and have already been mathematically eliminated from the postseason.
Bowers carved out a career as perhaps the greatest tight end in college football history in 3 seasons at Georgia, where he was a 3-time All-American, won 2 College Football Playoff national championships and was a 2-time Mackey Award winner a college football’s top tight end.
The Raiders selected Bowers, 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round and is fourth in the NFL in receiving with 84 receptions for 884 yards and 4 touchdowns.
