With familiar names littered throughout, the 2024 NFL Draft will make some football fans feel old. These famous names could make immediate impacts as rookies in the NFL.
Famous Names to Know in the 2024 NFL Draft
Marvin Harrison Jr.
His father, Marvin Sr., was a first-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1996 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Harrison Jr. signed with Ohio State as a four-star recruit and made an impact at the end of his freshman season. He quickly became a star for the Buckeyes and continued to dominate during his time in Columbus. In games last season that the Buckeyes were trailing, Harrison Jr. became a focal point and helped lift the team to victory. After an illustrious career at Ohio State, Harrison Jr. enters the 2024 NFL Draft as one of the top prospects. He would have a legitimate chance to go first overall in a class that did not have premier talent at the quarterback position.
Joe Alt
Joe is the son of John Alt, who was a first-round pick in 1984 by the Kansas City Chiefs. Throughout his career in the NFL, John started 149 games and earned multiple Pro Bowl bids (per pro-football reference). Joe Alt started his career at Notre Dame as a tight end before switching to the offensive line. His finesse and athleticism as an offensive tackle make him a highly coveted draft prospect. Alt is listed at 6’9″ and moves well for his size. His tape is also clean, and he handled his own against elite competition in college. Notre Dame has been known to churn out NFL players along the offensive line, and Alt might be the best of the recent bunch.
Luke McCaffrey
Luke’s father, Ed, played for the Denver Broncos in the 90s. His brother Christian is currently one of the league’s top running backs. Luke McCaffrey played quarterback at Rice before switching to wide receiver in 2023. Last season, he caught passes from JT Daniels, a once-promising NFL prospect who retired from football because of injuries. McCaffrey has been around NFL-caliber players his whole life and has some intangibles that will help him succeed at the next level. Teams project him as a power slot in the NFL, making his draft slot hard to predict. While being picked by the Broncos or 49ers would make for a good draft story, McCaffrey would fit well with the Cincinnati Bengals as a replacement for Tyler Boyd.
Brenden Rice
Like Marvin Harrison Jr., this son of a famous Hall of Fame receiver enters the NFL with lofty expectations. Although Rice didn’t light up the scoreboards like Harrison Jr., his production throughout college increased every year. Last season at USC, Rice caught 12 touchdowns from Caleb Williams. Rice has the size and physicality to be a threat in the red zone and can also score from long distances. As a likely day-three pick, he could land anywhere in the draft. Teams like the Ravens and Panthers have been highlighted as potential landing spots.
Kris Jenkins Jr.
The son of a former All-Pro in the early 2000s, Jenkins Jr. is a force at defensive tackle. Entering college as a three-star recruit, his days at Michigan were capped with a national title in 2023. The Michigan program has developed defensive players like Rashan Gary, Aidan Hutchinson, and Mazi Smith. All three were drafted in the first round. While Jenkins is considered more of a day-two pick, he could make one team happy with his ability to push the pocket. He still has a ways to go, but Jenkins could become a full-time starter in the NFL sooner rather than later.
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