NFL Draft 2024: Caleb Williams, trades highlight offense-heavy first round

DETROIT, April 25 (UPI) -- A quarterback trio of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye started the 2024 NFL Draft and led to a historically offensive-heavy group of first-round picks Thursday in Detroit.

"I'm really excited," Williams, who was picked by the Chicago Bears at No. 1 overall, told reporters. "I'm really excited to be on this team."

About 275,000 fans, a record crowd for an opening night of a draft, attended the event near Campus Maritus Park.

They watched a record 23 offensive players be selected in the first round. The draft also set a record for the most consecutive offensive players picked -- with all 14 of the initial selections playing on that side of the ball.

A total of six quarterbacks were selected, tying the record from 1983. The seven wide receivers picked also tied a record from 2004. NFL teams completed five separate trades in the first round.

Williams also set a record before even playing a snap in the NFL, becoming the sixth former USC Trojans player picked No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. No other school has had as many players picked first.

Daniels, who starred at LSU, joined the Washington Commanders at No. 2 overall. The New England Patriots followed by selecting Maye out of North Carolina.

USC entered the night tied with Georgia, Oklahoma and Notre Dame for the most players (five) picked first in the NFL Draft. Williams joined Carson Palmer, Keyshawn Johnson, Rickey Bell, O.J. Simpson and Ron Yary as the other former Trojans to earn the honor.

Chris Contreras of California wears a Minnesota Vikings stormtrooper outfit in the front row at the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday in Detroit. Photo by Rena Laverty/UPI

Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, totaled 93 touchdown passes and just 14 interceptions through 37 collegiate appearances for the Trojans. He will now enter an offense that features two veteran pass catchers in wide receivers Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore.

"We've got a pretty good team," Williams said of the Bears. "We just gotta go in and gotta work. We've gotta strive for greatness."

The Arizona Cardinals picked the first non-quarterback, selecting former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 4 overall. The Los Angeles Chargers picked former Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt at No. 5 overall.

Half of the first dozen picks were quarterbacks, including Williams, Daniels, Maye, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta Falcons), Michigan's J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings) and Oregon's Bo Nix (Denver Broncos).

The Indianapolis Colts broke up the run of offensive selections when they picked former UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15 overall.

Draft coverage will continue to air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network. Second- and third-round selections will be made Friday in Detroit. Round four through seven will be held Saturday.

2024 NFL Draft

1. Chicago Bears

QB Caleb Williams, USC

2. Washington Commanders

QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

3. New England Patriots

QB Drake Maye, North Carolina

4. Arizona Cardinals

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

5. Los Angeles Chargers

OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame

6. New York Giants

WR Malik Nabers

7. Tennessee Titans

OT J.C. Latham, Alabama

8. Atlanta Falcons

QB Michael Penix, Washington

9. Chicago Bears

WR Rome Odunze, Washington

10. Minnesota Vikings (traded from New York Jets)

QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

11. New York Jets (traded from Minnesota Vikings)

OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State

12. Denver Broncos

QB Bo Nix, Oregon

13. Las Vegas Raiders

TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

14. New Orleans Saints

OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

15. Indianapolis Colts

Edge Laiatu Latu, UCLA

16. Seattle Seahawks

DT Byron Murphy, Texas

17. Minnesota Vikings (traded from Jacksonville Jaguars)

Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama

18. Cincinnati Bengals

OT Amarius Mims, Georgia

19. Los Angeles Rams

Edge Jared Verse, Florida State

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

OT Troy Fautanu, Washington

21. Miami Dolphins

Edge Chop Robinson, Penn State

22. Philadelphia Eagles

CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (traded from Minnesota Vikings)

WR Brian Thomas, LSU

24. Detroit Lions (traded from Dallas Cowboys)

CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

25. Green Bay Packers

OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

IOL Graham Barton, Duke

27. Arizona Cardinals

Edge Darius Robinson, Missouri

28. Kansas City Chiefs (traded from Buffalo Bills)

WR Xavier Worthy, Texas

29. Dallas Cowboys (traded from Detroit Lions)

OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

30. Baltimore Ravens

CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

31. San Francisco 49ers

WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida

32. Carolina Panthers (traded from Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs)

WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina