History was made in Detroit on Thursday night during the NFL Draft. For the first time ever, six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks. Additionally, the first 14 picks were all offensive players, marking a record-breaking streak. The trend of selecting offensive players continued when the Colts broke the streak by choosing UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu with the No. 15 pick. This shift towards offense reflects the increasing value of the quarterback position in the NFL due to rule changes and the evolution of the passing game.
The top offensive players selected in the first 12 picks included wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4 to the Cardinals), Malik Nabers (No. 6 to the New York Giants), and Rome Odunze (No. 9 to the Bears). Offensive tackles Joe Alt (No. 5 to the Chargers), JC Latham (No. 7 to the Titans), Olumuyiwa Fashanu (No. 11 to the Jets), and Taliese Fuaga (No. 14 to the Saints). Tight end Brock Bowers was selected at No. 13 by the Raiders, while quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix were drafted by the Vikings and Broncos, respectively.
Among the notable quarterback selections early in the draft were Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maybe. However, the surprise came when the Falcons decided to pick quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8, despite recently signing Kirk Cousins to a lucrative four-year, $180 million deal. The decision to select so many quarterbacks early on suggests that teams like the Falcons are following a similar strategy to the Green Bay Packers when it comes to managing the quarterback position.