Record 23 offensive players picked in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft - ESPN

A record 23 offensive players were selected in Thursday's opening round of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit, including the first 14 selections off the board — also a record.

The previous high for offensive players picked in a draft's first 32 selections was 19. It happened in 1968, 2004 and 2009.

The 14 consecutive offensive players selected to open the draft was also a record at any point in a draft. The previous high in the first round in the common draft era was 10 consecutive offensive players selected in the 1987 draft — picks No. 19 through No. 28.

«It's a receiver heavy draft, there's some talented quarterbacks, just do the math,» Broncos coach Sean Payton said. "… We felt like there were going to be more offensive players taken.''

Thursday was also the first time four quarterbacks were selected among the first eight picks, five quarterbacks were selected among the first 10 picks and six quarterbacks were selected among the first 12 picks and history was made on a variety of fronts. Four quarterbacks were selected among the top 10 picks in the 2018 draft and five quarterbacks were selected among the first 12 picks of the 1999 draft.

Quarterback Caleb William was taken No. 1 by the Chicago Bears, Jayden Daniels was selected No. 2 by the Washington Commanders and Drake Maye was selected No. 3 by the New England Patriots. In perhaps the most stunning pick of the first round, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. went No. 8 to the Atlanta Falcons. The Minnesota Vikings traded up one slot to select quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 and Bo Nix, picked No. 12 by the Denver Broncos, became the the sixth quarterback off the board.

«You can see, six quarterbacks went in the first round. There's a reason,» Falcons GM Terry Fontenot