2024 NFL Draft prospects: Which college football stars declared?

The deadline for college football players to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft has passed, so now it’s time to take a look at the best available prospects.

College football season has come to an end, and the top players have turned their attention to making it at the next level. 

Here are the biggest names currently on the big board heading into April’s draft.

Caleb Williams - QB, USC 

Williams is a -900 favorite be the No. 1 pick in the draft. 

The former USC and Oklahoma signal-caller won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and his skills are perfect for the next level. 

Read more: NFL Draft First Overall Pick odds

Marvin Harrison Jr. - WR, Ohio State 

You could argue that Harrison was the most physically gifted player in college football this past season. 

He was a Heisman Trophy finalist after racking up 1,211 receiving yards to go along with 15 total touchdowns. 

Drake Maye - QB, North Carolina  

Maye flew a little bit under the radar in 2023 because his team wasn’t very good, but his NFL potential has been well documented for a while now. 

The former Tar Heel stands at 6’4’’ and 230 pounds – a classic pro-style quarterback. 

Jayden Daniels - QB, LSU 

Daniels is surging up draft boards, which is no surprise since he just won the Heisman Trophy.

A 40-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio plus 10 rushing touchdowns will do wonders for a kid. Could he even go as high as No. 2? 

Joe Alt - OT, Notre Dame 

Quarterback is obviously the most important position in football; protecting said position is almost as important. 

Offensive linemen are always coveted in the NFL Draft and Alt may be the first one selected in 2024. He checks in at 6’8’’ and 315 pounds. 

Olu Fashanu - OT, Penn State 

If Alt isn’t the first OT off the board, that distinction will probably go to Fashanu. 

Although Fashanu is not as developed as Alt at present, the former Penn State standout has huge upside.

 In fact, he could have been a top-10 pick if he had left college last year. 

Malik Nabers - WR, LSU 

Yes, Daniels made Nabers look good; but Nabers also made Daniels look good. 

It was a two-way street for two very good football players. 

Nabers finished the 2023 campaign with 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns on 89 receptions.  

Read more: 2024 NFL mock draft

Rome Odunze - WR, Washington 

Odunze’s connection with QB Michael Penix Jr. propelled Washington to the Pac-12 title and eventually to a spot in the College Football Playoff final. 

Odunze hauled in 92 passes for 1,640 yards while scoring 14 total touchdowns (13 receiving, one rushing). 

Brock Bowers - TE, Georgia 

Bowers is quite simply one of the best tight ends in college football history. 

He helped Georgia win two national titles and perhaps the Bulldogs would have captured a third if Bowers had not been less than 100 percent basically the entire year. 

He could have a Sam LaPorta-like instant impact in the NFL.  

Jared Verse - DE, Florida State 

Defenses simply have to get to the quarterback in this day and age in the NFL. 

Defensive ends and outside linebackers who can consistently accomplish that feat will be drafted high and paid handsomely. 

Verse produced nine sacks in each of his final two seasons at Florida State. 

Dallas Turner - LB, Alabama 

Turner was limited to four sacks in 2022, mainly because he was playing alongside current Houston Texan Will Anderson Jr. 

After becoming the focal point of Alabama’s defense in 2023, Turner thrived to the tune of 10 sacks – putting his future potential on full display. 

Laiatu Latu - LB, UCLA 

How’s this for rushing the quarterback? In 2022, Latu was No. 1 in the FBS in pressures (55) and pressure percentage (19.1). 

He had 10.5 sacks and was No. 1 in those same two categories (56 and 20.1 percent, respectively) in 2023 while making 13 sacks. 

Nate Wiggins - CB, Clemson 

Outside of quarterback and edge rusher, perhaps no position in the NFL is more important than cornerback. 

Wiggins looks like the best such prospect in this class, so a top-10 selection is possible. 

Keon Coleman - WR, Florida State 

Coleman (6’4’’, 215 pounds) projects to be an ideal target for NFL quarterbacks, especially in the red zone. 

He had 11 touchdown catches in 12 games during his lone season at Florida State. 

Amarius Mims - OT, Georgia 

Mims is raw, but the NFL Draft is all about future potential and this guy has a ton of it. 

The 6’7’’, 340-pounder started only two games prior to 2023 and missed some time this past season with an ankle injury. 

Mims has a real opportunity to climb higher on the board at the combine.

Read more: 2024 NFL Draft dates, order, how to watch and more