2024 NFL Combine: Ranking top five draft prospects at every offensive position, including surprise at WR1

The 2024 NFL Combine is here, and it’s time to list and explain my top-five rankings for all the offensive positions. These rankings are subject to change, of course, because the combine carries decently heavy weight in my scouting gradebook.

Before I begin, remember: These are my individual rankings, not the full CBS Sports prospect rankings, which is an aggregate of the rankings of Ryan Wilson, Josh Edwards and myself.

Here are my top five 2024 NFL Draft prospects at each offensive position: 

Quarterback

1. Caleb Williams, USC (CBS Sports overall rank: 2)
2. Drake Maye, North Carolina (7)
3. Jayden Daniels, LSU (9)
4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (32)
5. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina (107)

Williams is stylistically close to Patrick Mahomes from spatial awareness and creativity perspectives and has a strong, mostly accurate arm. Maye is stylistically close to Justin Herbert. Daniels is a home run hitter as a scrambler and demonstrated exquisite downfield touch at LSU. McCarthy has the physical goods to be a better pro than he was at Michigan. I have Rattler over Nix because I view Rattler as being more capable of handling pressure and making tight-window throws at the next level. Remember, two years ago, everyone had him penciled in as a first-round pick, and many believed he was the eventual No. 1 overall selection. He’s ultra talented.

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on “With the First Pick” — our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find “With the First Pick” wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Listen to the latest episode below!

Running back

1. Trey Benson, Florida State (170)
2. Bucky Irving, Oregon (70)
3. Jonathon Brooks, Texas (89)
4. Marshawn Lloyd, USC (183)
5. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee (172)

I’m not sure why Benson isn’t getting more consensus love. He carried the ball fewer than 320 times in college but was clearly a ridiculous contact balance and elusive type in a feature back body. Irving is smaller but hops around tacklers with ease and has lightning-quick explosiveness in and out of his cuts. Brooks boasts a well-rounded game with some shake in the hole and downfield burst. Lloyd and Wright are solidly built rushers who’ll run away from some defenders at the next level. They can scoot. 

Wide receiver

1. Malik Nabers, LSU (4)
2. Marvin…