Preseason grades for 2024 NFL first-round picks: Caleb Williams shines, Brian Thomas Jr. has a solid game
It’s very satisfying to see real NFL football on our televisions for the first time since February, even if it’s just the preseason, those showcase events are finally over.
Now that legitimate NFL film is available to watch, grades should be given, even if the games are meaningless. Individual performances in the preseason aren’t always meaningless.
These are the complete preseason grades for 2024 first-round rookies. To begin, if a rookie isn’t on the list, it means he either played very little this August, or for a variety of reasons, he didn’t make much of an impact, either bad or good. To see last week’s grades, Click here,
(listed in draft order)
grade A
All Williams did in his 42 preseason snaps was fuel the fire of the hype that has sparked his fire in the Chicagoland area. While he completed only 50% of his throws, he averaged 8.5 yards per attempt and showed flashes of his Mahomesian playmaking skills (athleticism + arm talent) outside the pocket. He performed exactly as advertised throughout the preseason.
grade A-
Daniels threw 12 of 15 passes for 123 yards throughout the preseason, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. And the reigning Heisman winner stayed cool, calm, and composed throughout August, right? He stayed focused. He quickly earned that starting role. The releases were lightning fast, Daniels made the right decisions immediately, and was precise with the football.
Category: A-
The first two preseason games were just 8 of 14 for 66 yards for Maye, but in the finale against the Commanders he won by going 13 of 20 for 126 yards and a score through the air. Maye moved naturally in the pocket, threw with speed and accuracy, and reminded us of his athleticism the whole time. He also kept his eyes upfield. In the second preseason outing Maye displayed some of the mid-field nuances that came out in North Carolina and showcased his athleticism. He should start Week 1 for the Patriots.
Grade: B+
I can’t say I liked how Alt performed in his first preseason game. But, it was his first preseason game. In his second, he was much better. Especially in pass protection. And he played with impressive poise throughout.
grade A
Nabers didn’t catch any targets in his first preseason appearance. Then, he had four catches for 54 yards, and in that second contest, Nabers showed separation like a veteran.
7. J.C. Latham, OT, Titans
Grade: B+
Latham performed well — and he was the second offensive tackle off the board in the preseason. He protected passes with suddenness, power and balance, plus he moved guys in the run game with good regularity.
grade A-
After what feels like a decade of Penix Jr.’s experience in the collegiate ranks, we only got to see one preseason game in which he completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. But in the first exhibition game, he showed a glimpse of what we’ll see in Washington: a decisive fastball to all three levels of the field.
Grade: B+
Odunze made one catch in the preseason, and it was a spectacular effort, a 45-yard, scramble-drill snag by Williams down the left sideline. There’s going to be a lot more of that in the regular season, right, Bears fans?
11. Olu Fashanu, OT, Jets
Grade: B+
Fashanu was mostly awesome this preseason. After getting pressure on his first professional pass-pro set, he was like a Kevlar wall and a bulldozer in the run game. Other times, not so dynamic. Nothing devastating, though. Fashanu should be one of the Jets’ five best blockers.
grade A-
Nix was an extension of Sean Payton on the field during the preseason. Quick decisions. Downright accuracy. Even some displays of the fact that he was the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 high-school rankings, according to 247 Sports. The competition wasn’t stiff, but Nix earned a starting role straight away.
grade B
Fuaga only played in New Orleans’ preseason opener, and it was great. Not otherworldly. Excellent. Was out of position a few times. It was a good start for the powerful and athletic Oregon State alumnus.
Grade: B+
Latu didn’t get much of a start in the preseason for the Colts — just 13 pass-rushing snaps, but he did beat a quarterback in Indianapolis’ third preseason game with one of his oldest moves, the Nast cross chop, from his illustrious career at UCLA.
grade B-
The Texas alumnus had two pressures on 20 pass-rushing snaps in the preseason, and both of those flashes of productivity came in the opener. We also got glimpses of his terrific run-stopping skills, yet there were some reps in which Murphy was overwhelmed at the point of attack.
grade B-
Flashes of Turner in the preseason? Yes. Was he a dominant force around the corner, swarming the edge? Not necessarily. Two generated pressure on 20 pass-rushing opportunities, and both of those came in early contests. He’s very young, so it may take time for Turner to fully adapt.
grade B-
Robinson didn’t have any pressure in two preseason games, but the film showed a ferocious, aggressive runner on the perimeter, and he held his own against the run relative to his label as a pass-rushing specialist.
grade A
We enjoyed a pair of preseason outings for the first cornerback off the board. He performed as advertised by allowing two catches for eight yards
grade A
Thomas Jr. averaged 17.3 yards per snag in his final season at LSU and continued to serve as a splash-play specialist with three catches for 93 yards in the preseason. Remember, this is a nearly 6-foot-3, 210-pounder with 4.33 speed.
grade A-
Barton’s preseason was similar to what we usually see from a three- or four-year veteran, especially blocking for the run. Combos, point-of-attack torque against defensive linemen, anchoring, the former Duke tackle had it all.
grade B-
Worthy scored a planned open touchdown in the Chiefs’ second preseason game, which also involved a fumble. We didn’t get to experience much of Worthy in the preseason, but he will be an integral part of Kansas City’s offense when the games count.
grade A
Two games, two tremendous performances for Guyton, the Oklahoma-turned-Cowboy blocker. Guyton’s athletic talent was evident blocking on pass plays and climbing to the second level for the ground game. Technically everything seemed fine, too, and he was patient, rarely getting overexcited or off-balance.
grade A
Wiggins had three pass breakups in one drive in his preseason debut, then was dinged. But we surprisingly saw him again in the third preseason game, and the nimble Ravens cornerback was absolutely lockdown, allowing no pucks on two targets. He also tackled with authority. He already feels like a great fit in Baltimore.
