By Larry Lage, Associated PressFireworks explode at the end of the second night of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit.
Motown beat Music City’s three-day attendance record of 600,000 set in 2019, when fans filled Broadway in Nashville. Chicago, as expected, drafted Southern California’s Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall. The Bears took Iowa punter Tory Taylor on Saturday in the fourth round.Williams was the first of a record five quarterbacks picked among the top 10, including Atlanta’s surprising selection of Michael Penix Jr. a month after giving Kirk Cousins a big contract. With Denver drafting Bo Nix out of Oregon at No. 12, a mark was matched for signal-callers selected in the first round.
In a sign of the times, a running back wasn’t drafted until Carolina grabbed Jonathon Brooks of Texas with the 46th pick in what was the second-latest pick at the once-coveted position. There was a run of running backs in the fourth round with seven selected, starting with Miami taking Jaylen Wright of Tennessee at No. 120 overall.
Qwan’tez Stiggers planned to play at Lane College in Tennessee in 2020, but returned home that fall due to the death of his father in a car crash and the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out the season. The Jets also made the 257th and final pick of the seven-round draft, making Alabama defensive back Jaylen Key the player known as “Mr. Irrelevant,” and hoping he has a fraction of the success San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has had since being the last selection in 2022.