The Chase for Caleb is on.
The 2024 NFL Draft is shaping up to be one of the more memorable in recent years. A number of quarterbacks could go in the first round, including the jewel of the draft, USC's Caleb Williams.
While Williams declaring for the draft isn't a foregone conclusion, he will likely be the first name to be called come next April should he decide to forgo his senior season at USC. Following Williams is North Carolina's Drake Maye, who has drawn Justin Herbert comps and is almost certain to be the second passer to come off the board.
MORE: Why Caleb Williams may not be NFL Draft bound just yet
After Maye, it's a potpourri of passers: Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Duke's Riley Leonard, Texas' Quinn Ewers, Oregon's Bo Nix and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. could all enter the draft, and all could be legitimate first-round talents and franchise changers come next year.
While it's a long way to April, it's not too early for some teams to start looking ahead to the spring. Hope springs eternal, after all, and there's nothing the NFL Draft represents more.
Entering the remainder of Week 4 games, here's how the NFL Draft order shakes out:
NFL Draft order 2024
Entering Sunday's Week 4 matchups, here's how the 2024 NFL Draft order shakes out:
| Pick | Team | Record |
| 1 | Chicago Bears | 0-3 |
| 2 | Denver Broncos | 0-3 |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings | 0-3 |
| 4 | Chicago Bears (from CAR) | 0-3 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1-2 |
| 6 | Las Vegas Raiders | 1-2 |
| 7 | Arizona Cardinals (from HOU) | 1-2 |
| 8 | Tennessee Titans | 1-2 |
| 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | 1-2 |
| 10 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 1-2 |
| 11 | New York Jets | 1-2 |
| 12 | New England Patriots | 1-2 |
| 13 | Arizona Cardinals | 1-2 |
| 14 | New York Giants | 1-2 |
| 15 | Los Angeles Rams | 1-2 |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers | 2-2 |
| 17 | New Orleans Saints | 2-1 |
| 18 | Dallas Cowboys | 2-1 |
| 19 | Houston Texans (from CLE) | 2-1 |
| 20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-1 |
| 21 | Buffalo Bills | 2-1 |
| 22 | Washington Commanders | 2-1 |
| 23 | Seattle Seahawks | 2-1 |
| 24 | Baltimore Ravens | 2-1 |
| 25 | Kansas City Chiefs | 2-1 |
| 26 | Atlanta Falcons | 2-1 |
| 27 | Indianapolis Colts | 2-1 |
| 28 | Detroit Lions | 2-1 |
| 29 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-1 |
| 30 | Philadelphia Eagles | 3-0 |
| 31 | Miami Dolphins | 3-0 |
| 32 | San Francisco 49ers | 3-0 |
Notes:
— The Chicago Bears own the Panthers' 2024 first-round pick as part of the trade for the 2023 No. 1 overall pick which went from Chicago to Carolina.
— The Cardinals own Houston's first-round pick (own) after a 2023 trade-up for pass rusher Will Anderson.
— The Houston Texans own the Browns' first-round pick as part of the Deshaun Watson trade.
Top 2024 NFL Draft prospects
As has been the case for years, all eyes are on Southern California.
USC passer Caleb Williams has solidified his standing as the top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft before the calendar has flipped to October. Williams, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, has USC humming as a top-10 team in the country.
Outside of Williams, UNC's Drake Maye will likely be the second passer off the board barring a complete downturn this year. Maye has snagged a bit of a turnover bug early in the season, throwing four picks through four games for UNC. He threw just seven in all of 2022.
Rounding out the passer crop are a number of intriguing prospects: Texas' Quinn Ewers, Washington's Michael Penix Jr., Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Duke's Riley Leonard and Oregon's Bo Nix could all stake their claims as first-round quarterbacks should they meet expectations as the college season unfolds.
Outside of the quarterbacks, the draft's best prospect might be Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison, son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, has all the tools needed to be the next game-breaking receiver for a team who needs it.